CHICAGO — Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel says tougher gun laws are key to the city's crime-fighting strategy and he plans to protect the legal integrity of a firearms ordinance.

Part of the ordinance was overturned by U.S. District Judge Samuel Der-Yeghiayan (der-YAY'-gen), who took aim at the section used to deny a permit to a man because of a prior misdemeanor conviction. The judge called that section "unconstitutionally void for vagueness."

Emanuel on Wednesday refused to say whether he would appeal the ruling or rewrite the overturned section.