Firearms Owners Against Crime
Institute for Legal, Legislative and Educational Action
Institute for Legal, Legislative and Educational Action
Why did the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) hide a form that stripped American citizens of their rights? Who was using these forms and to what end?
In 2019, AmmoLand News uncovered secret documents including NICS-Index-Self-Submission Form that the FBI disseminated to the mental health community. The form let American citizens add themselves to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) indices. A person completing the form would then be prohibited from buying a firearm for the rest of their life. Sources inside the FBI said this form was supposed to be kept a secret from the public. Now thanks to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request by Gun Owners of America (GOA), we can confirm the accusations.
The FBI used the NICS-Index-Self-Submission Form to add people to the NICS indices even though they did not meet the definition of a prohibited person by the letter of the law.
A person could fill out the form and mark that they are a danger to themselves or others. They could also mark a box stating that they “Lack the mental capacity adequately to contract or manage details of my life.”
Many wonder how a person could sign away one of their constitutionally protected rights if they cannot even enter into a contract because of their mental state. It seems like the person who would check that box would be unable to consent due to mental deficiencies, yet the FBI has made a form that agrees to the government stripping them of a fundamental right for the remainder of their lives.
In an exchange with the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health (Mass DMH), the FBI was asked about the NICS-Index-Self Submission Form. The mental health facility wanted to “get these people into the database.” The FBI told the Mass DMH to email or fax the forms over to them. The FBI would update the NICS indices once they received the documents making more prohibited people.
Another person emailed the FBI about obtaining the form for themselves. The FBI provided the form to the requester, who filled it out and sent it back, making them a prohibited person for life. The person asked if they could publicly share the form for others to fill out. The FBI denied the request for “privacy” reasons.
The FBI response reads: “I understand that my co-worker answered your questions today. I was in class until this afternoon. As she stated when it comes to the mental health prohibition everything is surrounded by privacies. The self-submission form is utilized only under special circumstances, and in addition to it, there are other forms that we do not share publicly. Typically, your state bureau/law enforcement, or physicians are who would contact us making requests. Hope your questions were answered.”
This document was hidden from the public until uncovered by AmmoLand. The FOIA request by GOA prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that the FBI hid the form from the public and even from those with Congressional oversight. They also reference other documents that the FBI hides from the public. Many in the gun community wonder if those documents also strip people of their civil rights.
Until more FOIA requests are filed, we will have to wait and see what is found. The FBI refused to tell AmmoLand News about any other documents.