Supreme Court allows N.Y. to enforce gun law as legal challenges continue

• They asked the Supreme Court to lift a federal appeals court order that temporarily paused a lower court decision that blocked parts of the law.
• "Applicants should not be deterred by today's order from again seeking relief if the Second Circuit does not, within a reasonable time, provide an explanation for its stay order or expedite consideration of the appeal," Justice Samuel Alito wrote in a statement.

The big picture: The Supreme Court said in June of last year that New York's gun law, which required people applying to get a license to carry a concealed weapon to show that they have "proper cause" to carry a firearm, violated the Constitution.

• The majority opinion said that it is a constitutional right to carry a weapon in public for self-defense purposes.
• It was the first Second Amendment case heard by the Supreme Court in more than a decade, Axios' Oriana Gonzalez reports.

What they're saying: "We have a right to enact commonsense measures to protect our communities, and I am pleased with the Supreme Court’s decision to allow New York’s concealed carry gun law to remain in effect," New York Attorney General Letitia James said in a statement.

• "Too many New Yorkers are plagued by gun violence, and we know that basic gun laws help save lives every day," James said.
• "My office will continue to use every tool at our disposal to protect New Yorkers and defend our responsible gun laws."

Editor's note: This story was updated with additional context.