DOJ Alleges Sheriff’s Department Infringed On Second Amendment Rights Of Law-Abiding Citizens In “First-Of-Its-Kind Lawsuit”

The U.S. Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit against the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD), alleging it infringed upon the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens seeking to carry concealed weapons.

In the lawsuit, the Justice Department alleges the LASD delayed granting concealed carry weapons permits to thousands of applicants.

“The Second Amendment protects the fundamental constitutional right of law-abiding citizens to bear arms,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement, according to the Associated Press.

“Los Angeles County may not like that right, but the Constitution does not allow them to infringe upon it,” she added.

“The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division on March 27, 2025, initiated the first-of-its-kind Second Amendment investigation because of numerous complaints of unreasonable delays in CCW permitting decisions by LASD. After analysis of data and documents spanning more than 8,000 CCW permits, the Division today filed suit seeking relief on behalf of law-abiding applicants,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Central District of California stated in a release.

“The Second Amendment is not a second-class right,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.

“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,” she continued.

“This is not bureaucratic inefficiency; it is systematic obstruction of constitutional rights.”

The DOJ filed a lawsuit against the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office for an alleged “deliberate pattern of unconscionable delay” of processing concealed carry permits. pic.twitter.com/cF4XJ87MlS

— Fox News (@FoxNews) September 30, 2025

POLITICO shared more:

In the lawsuit, filed in the Central District of California, the DOJ alleges LASD approved only two concealed carry weapons permits out of more than 8,000 applications over the course of 15 months, with interviews scheduled as far as two years out for applicants.

In the filing, the DOJ argued that LASD has “has systematically denied thousands of law-abiding Californians their fundamental Second Amendment right to bear arms outside the home — not through outright refusal, but through a deliberate pattern of unconscionable delay that renders this constitutional right meaningless in practice.”

“Citizens living in high-crime areas cannot afford to wait to protect themselves with firearms while Los Angeles County dithers,” said Acting United States Attorney Bill Essayli.

“The right to bear arms is among the founding principles of our nation. It can and must be upheld,” he added.

“First-of-its-kind lawsuit dropped—the Second Amendment rights of Californians will NOT be trampled. This @CivilRights Division will fight LA’s deliberate delays on concealed carry permits, defending your 2A rights!” Dhillon said.

First-of-its-kind lawsuit dropped—the Second Amendment rights of Californians will NOT be trampled. This @CivilRights Division will fight LA’s deliberate delays on concealed carry permits, defending your 2A rights!

https://t.co/Egh11Rivn5 pic.twitter.com/ArJXqCfNKL

— AAGHarmeetDhillon (@AAGDhillon) September 30, 2025

The Associated Press provided further info:

The sheriff’s department waits an average 281 days to start processing applications, violating a California law requiring initial reviews within 90 days, according to the complaint.

The lawsuit seeks a permanent injunction requiring the sheriff’s department to issue concealed carry licenses in a timely fashion under the law.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has positioned himself as a leader on gun control and said he will push for stricter regulations.

In January, a federal appeals court prevented a state law from taking effect that banned people from carrying firearms in most public places. That decision, which the state is appealing, kept in place a previous ruling by U.S. District Judge Cormac Carney blocking the law. Carney said it violates the Second Amendment and that gun rights groups would likely prevail in proving it unconstitutional.

The law would prohibit people from carrying concealed guns in 26 types of places, including public parks and playgrounds, churches, banks and zoos.