Preparedness
Judge’s Ruling Sparks Debate on Gun Rights for Non-Citizens
A recent ruling by a federal judge has determined that the Second Amendment does not extend its protections to an illegal immigrant who allegedly provided false information on a gun purchase form. Carlos Serrano-Restrepo, a foreign national residing in Orient, Ohio, has been living in the U.S. since April 2008. Over the years, he has established a business and purchased a home, yet his legal status remains unresolved as his asylum claim is still pending.
Despite his long-term residence in the U.S., Serrano-Restrepo’s actions have led to legal scrutiny. In 2023, he was granted permission to work legally in the country until March 2025, and he obtained a Social Security number. However, during this period, he also acquired a substantial number of firearms, reportedly for self-defense. On ATF Form 4473, he allegedly claimed U.S. citizenship and denied being unlawfully present in the country.
The discrepancies in his documentation prompted an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). This resulted in the seizure of approximately 170 firearms and thousands of rounds of ammunition from his home. Subsequently, a grand jury indicted Serrano-Restrepo for firearm possession as an alien unlawfully in the U.S.
In response, Serrano-Restrepo’s attorney argued for the dismissal of the charges, maintaining that his client’s long-term residence and community ties should afford him Second Amendment protections. However, Judge Edmund A. Sargus Jr. rejected this motion.
“At the time the Second Amendment was ratified in 1791, the Government contends that the Second Amendment did not protect the right to bear arms of ‘outsiders,’ such as Native Americans, Catholics, and Loyalists who refused to swear oaths of allegiance,” Judge Sargus articulated in his ruling. He further emphasized that “disarming unlawful immigrants like Mr. Serrano-Restrepo who have not sworn allegiance to the United States comports with the Nation’s history and tradition of firearm regulations.”
The ruling underscores a historical precedent where certain groups perceived as threats to national security were restricted from bearing arms. According to Judge Sargus, the lack of a formal oath of allegiance through naturalization means Serrano-Restrepo does not fall under the Second Amendment’s protection.
Steve Nolder, Serrano-Restrepo’s attorney, expressed his dissatisfaction with the decision, stating that his client “did not pose any danger” with his collection of firearms. Despite this, the ruling reflects the ongoing debate about the extent of constitutional rights for individuals without legal status in the U.S.
Let us know what you think, please share your thoughts in the comments below.
These Everyday Skills Could Save Your Life Or Someone Else’s
When an emergency hits, it’s too late to start Googling. Whether it’s a power outage, car breakdown, unexpected hike gone wrong, or full-scale disaster, knowing what to do before chaos strikes is the difference between staying calm and spiraling. The good news? You don’t need military training or a bug-out bunker. You just need to learn these 10 core survival skills ahead of time and they’ll serve you in everyday life too.
1. Fire-Starting Without a Lighter
Being able to start a fire in wet or windy conditions is a skill that spans thousands of years and it still matters. Learn to use a ferro rod, flint and steel, or even a magnifying glass. Practice with damp tinder, and always carry some dryer lint or cotton balls soaked in petroleum jelly.
2. Basic First Aid
Knowing how to stop bleeding, treat burns, or manage a broken bone is essential. Sign up for a CPR/first aid course you’ll gain life-saving knowledge and confidence. Bonus: it’s just as useful at a family BBQ as in a forest.
3. Navigation Without GPS
Batteries die. Satellites fail. Learn to read a paper map, use a compass, and find direction using the sun or stars. Even basic orienteering skills can get you out of a jam.
4. Knot-Tying for Real-World Use
The right knot can save your gear or your life. Know how to tie a bowline, square knot, and trucker’s hitch. These knots can help build shelter, secure loads, and make emergency repairs.
5. Water Purification and Collection
You can survive weeks without food but only 3 days without water. Learn how to boil, filter, or chemically treat water. Know where to find it in urban and wild environments, like rain catchment or condensation traps.
6. Shelter Building With Natural Materials
Even in a warm climate, exposure can be deadly. Practice building lean-tos, debris huts, or tarp shelters using branches, leaves, and cordage. A good shelter keeps you warm, dry, and protected from the elements.
7. Situational Awareness
Learn to scan your environment, trust your instincts, and notice small changes around you. Awareness prevents problems, whether it’s spotting a fire hazard, noticing someone following you, or avoiding dangerous terrain.
8. Cooking Without Electricity
Know how to cook over open flames, on a wood stove, or using solar ovens. It’s more than survival, it’s resilience. Start by learning to boil, grill, or bake without relying on modern conveniences.
9. Signaling for Help
If you’re stuck, you’ll need to be found. Learn how to use mirrors, flares, whistles, or even create large ground signals like “SOS” using rocks or logs. Understanding rescue priorities can make you easier to spot and faster to save.
10. Mental Resilience and Problem Solving
This is the quiet skill that holds it all together. Practice staying calm under pressure through breath control, visualization, or even journaling. In any crisis, your mindset determines whether you freeze… or adapt.
🧭 Final Thought
The best time to learn these survival skills is when you don’t need them. They aren’t just about extreme situations they teach self-reliance, confidence, and control. The more you know, the less you fear and the better prepared you’ll be when life throws the unexpected your way.
When disaster strikes, you don’t always have a survival kit, tactical knife, or fancy equipment on hand. But here’s the truth: most of what you need to stay alive might already be in your home, office, or even your pockets. Survival isn’t just about being tough it’s about being resourceful. And with a little creativity, ordinary objects can become extraordinary lifesavers.
1. Bandana – The Swiss Army Cloth
A simple bandana can do more than keep sweat off your neck. It can filter dirty water through layers of fabric, serve as a makeshift sling or bandage, and even protect your lungs from dust or smoke. Soak it in cool water to regulate your temperature, or use it as a flag to signal for help. If you don’t have one, a T-shirt or scarf can do the job.
2. Duct Tape – The Ultimate Fix-All
There’s a reason duct tape belongs in every emergency bag. It can patch holes in tents, mend broken shoes, and even seal wounds in a pinch (apply gauze first). Twist strips into rope or cord to build shelter or tie gear. It’s waterproof, strong, and takes up almost no space proof that survival is often about ingenuity, not gear.
3. Belt – From Fashion to Function
A sturdy belt can do more than hold up your jeans. In an emergency, it can become a tourniquet to slow bleeding, a strap to secure gear, or a way to climb or drag supplies. Leather belts also double as fire starters when scraped or used to create sparks with metal. Never underestimate what’s already wrapped around your waist.
4. Credit Card – Not for Shopping Anymore
That little piece of plastic can save your life in surprising ways. It can act as a scraper to remove ice, clean a wound, or smooth surfaces. In urban settings, it can even help unlock certain types of doors or windows in emergencies (though always within the law). It’s lightweight, flat, and unbreakable perfect for quick problem-solving.
5. Plastic Bottles – Hydration and Beyond
Plastic bottles can purify, store, and transport water. Cut the bottom off to make a funnel or plant container, or fill with water and leave in sunlight to disinfect it (solar disinfection works in about six hours of bright sun). Bottles can also serve as makeshift lanterns when filled with water and placed over a flashlight.
6. Trash Bags – Shelter in Disguise
A heavy-duty garbage bag is an unsung hero. With a few cuts, it becomes a rain poncho, sleeping bag liner, or emergency shelter. It can also collect rainwater or insulate against cold ground. Carry a few you’ll thank yourself later.
Final Thought
In a true emergency, the most valuable tool isn’t what’s in your hand it’s what’s in your head. Thinking creatively under pressure turns common items into life-saving gear. You don’t need to be a survivalist to survive; you just need to see the potential in what’s already around you.
When disaster hits and grocery stores run out of stock, your survival depends on what’s already in your pantry. You don’t need fancy freeze-dried meals, just smart, long-lasting foods that keep you nourished, energized, and ready to adapt. Here are ten essentials that could literally save your life when everything else is gone.
1. Rice
A bag of rice can feed you for weeks. It’s compact, calorie-dense, and easy to cook with minimal fuel. Brown rice has more nutrients, but white rice stores longer, lasting up to 30 years in airtight containers.
2. Beans (Canned or Dried)
Protein and fiber are survival gold. Beans black, kidney, or lentils provide steady energy and can be eaten alone or combined with rice for a complete meal. Dried beans last longer, but canned beans are ready to eat if water or heat are limited.
3. Peanut Butter
High in calories, fat, and protein, peanut butter is one of the best survival foods on earth. It doesn’t need refrigeration and keeps for months after opening. A few spoonfuls a day can sustain you through hard times.
4. Oats
Oats require little water, cook fast, and provide long-lasting energy. They’re versatile—make oatmeal, energy bars, or add them to soups to stretch meals.
5. Canned Tuna or Chicken
Canned meats offer vital protein and omega-3s. They’re lightweight, long-lasting, and require no cooking. Rotate your stock every few years for freshness.
6. Honey
Honey never spoils. It can sweeten bland food, soothe a sore throat, and even treat wounds due to its natural antibacterial properties.
7. Powdered Milk
When fresh dairy is gone, powdered milk gives you calcium, protein, and essential vitamins. Mix with filtered water or use in cooking.
8. Salt
Salt preserves food, balances electrolytes, and adds flavor. In survival situations, it’s worth more than gold.
9. Canned Vegetables and Fruit
These provide hydration, vitamins, and variety. Drink the liquid inside it’s full of nutrients.
10. Energy or Protein Bars
Compact, lightweight, and packed with calories, they’re perfect for bug-out bags or quick energy during stressful moments.
Final Tip: Store your food in cool, dark places and rotate supplies regularly. When the shelves go bare, preparation turns panic into confidence and survival into just another day you’re ready for.
-
Tactical2 years ago70-Year-Old Fends Off Intruder with Lead-Powered Message
-
Tactical2 years agoVape Shop Employee Confronts Armed Crooks, Sends Them Running
-
Preparedness1 year agoEx-Ballerina’s Guilty Verdict Sends Tremors Through Gun-Owner Community
-
Preparedness1 year agoGood Samaritan Saves Trooper in Harrowing Interstate Confrontation
-
Off The Grid5 days ago10 Foods That Could Save Your Life When Grocery Shelves Are Empty
-
Tactical2 years agoMidnight SUV Theft Interrupted by Armed Homeowner’s Retaliation
-
Survival Stories2 years agoEmily’s 30-Day Experience of Being Stranded on a Desert Island
-
Preparedness1 year agoArizona Engineer’s Headless Body Found in Desert: Friend Charged
Don
December 5, 2024 at 1:38 pm
A common sense ruling.
Joan
December 5, 2024 at 2:40 pm
I don’t understand why it has taken him so long. 5 years for asylum and another couple of years for citizenship. He has been here since 2008. Now he has been hording all of these guns and ammo. Something is not right. I could understand if he had 1 or 2 guns, but not 170. With just the info given, I say he should be deported.
Herb
December 5, 2024 at 4:43 pm
No one that isn’t a citizen should be allowed to own a firearm, get any type of taxpayer assistance or vote. Anyone born in the US that doesn’t have one parent that is a citizen isn’t a citizen unless they are naturalized.
ppuck64
December 7, 2024 at 3:44 pm
Wow, a common-sense ruling from a Federal judge. CLEARLY, the Constitution only covers those people it was written for, and in whose country it was adopted. Anything else is chaos and negates the meaning of the document.