A federal judge in Illinois has ruled the state's blanket ban on assault weapons is unconstitutional and violates the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution.

A federal judge on Friday overturned Illinois’ ban on semiautomatic weapons, leaning on recent U.S. Supreme Court rulings that strictly interpret the Second Amendment right to keep and bear firearms.

A downstate federal judge on Friday ruled that Illinois’ sweeping gun ban is unconstitutional and can no longer be enforced after 30 days. The ruling comes nearly two years after the ban on certain high-powered guns and high-capacity magazines was signed into law by Gov.