The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has taken the unprecedented step of suing the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LACSD), accusing it of systematically violating the Second Amendment rights of thousands of law-abiding Californians seeking concealed carry weapons (CCW) permits. The lawsuit, filed on September 30, 2025, in the Central District of California federal court, marks the first time the federal government has initiated such legal action in support of gun owners, according to reporting from multiple outlets including The Hill, LAist, and California Globe.
The DOJ’s complaint, led by the Civil Rights Division under Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon, alleges that the LACSD has engaged in a “deliberate pattern of unconscionable delay” in processing CCW applications, amounting to what the DOJ describes as “systematic obstruction of constitutional rights.” According to the DOJ, only two approvals have been granted from more than 8,000 applications submitted over recent years—a statistic described as “staggering” by federal officials and highlighted by LAist and Patch.
Applicants, the lawsuit claims, have faced an average wait of 281 days—over nine months—just to begin processing, with some waiting as long as 1,030 days (nearly three years), far exceeding California’s statutory requirement that licensing authorities provide an initial determination within 90 days. The DOJ’s complaint further notes that some interviews to approve licenses have been scheduled as far out as November 2026, more than two years after the relevant applications were first filed. The median delay stands at 372 days, according to DOJ data cited by California Globe and The Hill.
“The Second Amendment is not a second-class right,” Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon stated. “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.” Her comments were echoed by Attorney General Pamela Bondi, who emphasized, “The Second Amendment protects the fundamental constitutional right of law-abiding citizens to bear arms. Los Angeles County may not like that right, but the Constitution does not allow them to infringe upon it.”
Acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli for the Central District of California added, “Citizens living in high-crime areas cannot afford to wait to protect themselves with firearms while Los Angeles County dithers. The right to bear arms is among the founding principles of our nation. It can and must be upheld.”
The DOJ’s action follows a months-long investigation prompted by numerous public complaints about the LACSD’s CCW permitting process. Shortly after Dhillon took the helm at the Civil Rights Division, the department began receiving reports of inexplicable and lengthy delays that appeared to violate both state law and the U.S. Supreme Court’s interpretation of Second Amendment rights. The investigation uncovered that, between January 2024 and March 2025, the LACSD received 3,982 new concealed carry applications but approved only two—a 0.05% approval rate. As of May 2025, 2,768 applications remained pending, according to the DOJ’s findings presented in court documents and reported by The Hill.
The federal lawsuit seeks a permanent injunction prohibiting the LACSD from implementing what the DOJ describes as “excessive” delays and low approval rates, arguing that these practices violate the Constitution. The DOJ is also calling for a federal declaration that the sheriff’s department is in violation of the Second Amendment and is urging those who have not received a decision on their CCW applications within four months to contact the department at a dedicated email address.
The LACSD, led by Sheriff Robert Luna (who is named as a defendant in the suit), has pushed back on the DOJ’s allegations. In a statement cited by The Hill, the department claimed that in 2025 alone, it has issued more than 5,000 concealed carry permits, including 2,722 new applications. The LACSD attributed earlier delays to an inherited “dysfunctional system” and a transition from a paper-based to an online application platform, a process that began in May 2023. Department officials insisted that since Sheriff Luna took office, the backlog of applications has been reduced from approximately 10,000 to about 3,200.
“We remain committed to addressing all applications fairly, promptly, and with a balanced approach,” the LACSD’s statement read. “We are confident a fair and impartial review of our efforts will show that the Department has not engaged in any pattern or practice of depriving individuals of their Second Amendment rights.” The department also noted that after the Supreme Court’s June 2022 decision striking down New York’s ‘proper cause’ requirement for concealed carry licenses, the LACSD stopped enforcing its own similar requirement, leading to a surge in applications.
Despite the LACSD’s defense, gun rights advocates have welcomed the DOJ’s intervention. Adam Kraut, Executive Director of the Second Amendment Foundation, called the lawsuit “a landmark” and said, “We are thrilled to see the federal government step up and defend the Second Amendment rights of citizens and hope this pattern continues around the country.” Several advocacy groups have been involved in their own federal lawsuit against the LACSD over permit delays since December 2023, and last August secured a narrow injunction after a federal judge found that delays likely violated the rights of two individual plaintiffs.
The DOJ’s lawsuit could have far-reaching implications for both Los Angeles County residents and for the national debate over gun rights and local control. While the Trump Administration’s decision to intervene in Los Angeles is consistent with its broader policy of supporting gun owners in progressive-leaning jurisdictions, it also raises questions about the balance between federal oversight and local discretion in public safety matters.
As the case moves forward, all eyes will be on the federal courts to determine whether the LACSD’s practices constitute a violation of constitutional rights or are the result of administrative challenges and increased demand. The outcome could set a precedent for how concealed carry permitting is handled not only in Los Angeles County, but in jurisdictions across the country where similar complaints have arisen.
For now, the DOJ’s lawsuit stands as a bold assertion of federal authority in defense of the Second Amendment, with both supporters and critics watching closely to see what comes next.
