The Supreme Court unanimously ruled on Thursday to dismiss Mexico’s $10 billion lawsuit against major American gun manufacturers, contending that the companies’ business practices have contributed to the escalation of cartel violence and bloodshed in Mexico.

In the ruling, the justices cited U.S. laws that provide significant protection for gunmakers from liability when their firearms are used in criminal activities. The decision overturned a lower court’s ruling that permitted the lawsuit to proceed, based on an exception that applies when companies are accused of violating the law themselves.

The big picture: Justice Elena Kagan, writing for the court, stated that Mexico failed to provide sufficient evidence to suggest that the gun manufacturers knowingly facilitated the trafficking of

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