DOJ sues Los Angeles County over gun permit delays in landmark Second Amendment case

The US Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division has filed a groundbreaking lawsuit against the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, accusing it of systematically violating the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens by unreasonably delaying decisions on concealed carry weapon (CCW) permit applications.

The lawsuit, filed in the Federal Central District of California, follows a first-of-its-kind Second Amendment investigation launched by the DOJ on March 27, 2025. The probe was prompted by a wave of complaints alleging that Los Angeles County routinely stalled or ignored CCW applications, leaving residents, many in high-crime neighborhoods, unable to legally carry firearms for self-defense.

Attorney General Pamela Bondi emphasized the historic nature of the suit in a statement. “The Second Amendment protects the fundamental constitutional right of law-abiding citizens to bear arms,” Bondi said. “Los Angeles County may not like that right, but the Constitution does not allow them to infringe upon it. This Department of Justice will continue to fight for the Second Amendment.”

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon, who now leads the Civil Rights Division, echoed the sentiment. “The Second Amendment is not a second-class right,” Dhillon said. “This lawsuit seeks to stop Los Angeles County’s egregious pattern and practice of delaying law-abiding citizens from exercising their right to bear arms.”

According to DOJ investigators, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department provided data nearly two months after receiving notice of the federal investigation. That data revealed that out of more than 8,000 CCW applications, only two had been approved. Many applicants were forced to wait years, with some interviews for permit approvals scheduled up to two years after their initial submissions, well beyond California’s statutory timelines and in violation of recent Supreme Court rulings affirming the right to carry.

Acting US Attorney Bill Essayli for the Central District of California underscored the real-world consequences of those delays. “Citizens living in high-crime areas cannot afford to wait to protect themselves with firearms while Los Angeles County dithers,” Essayli said. “The right to bear arms is among the founding principles of our nation. It can and must be upheld.”

This case marks the first time the DOJ has filed an affirmative lawsuit to enforce Second Amendment rights on behalf of gun owners. Traditionally, lawsuits to secure gun rights have been filed by individuals, advocacy groups, or state governments, not the federal government itself.