In a groundbreaking move, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed suit against the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) and Sheriff Robert Luna for what it calls a “deliberate pattern of unconscionable delay” in issuing concealed carry licenses. The case, announced September 30 by DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, marks the first affirmative lawsuit ever filed by the DOJ on behalf of gun owners and signals a new federal willingness to intervene when local jurisdictions flout constitutional protections.
A Constitutional Right Denied by Delay
The complaint alleges that LASD 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 delay so extreme it renders the right meaningless.”
California law requires licensing authorities to provide initial determinations within 90 days. But DOJ found applicants were forced to wait an average of 281 days—more than nine months—before their paperwork was even touched. Some waited as long as 1,030 days, nearly three years, only to be told that interviews would not take place until late 2026.
Even more shocking: between January 2024 and March 2025, LASD received nearly 4,000 new applications. As of May 8, 2025, it had issued just two licenses—a staggering approval rate of 0.05%.
Given that California carry permits expire after just two years, the lawsuit argues that LASD’s delays effectively nullify the permit system itself, amounting to a backdoor ban on concealed carry.
Federal Authority and Remedies Sought
The lawsuit invokes the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, which authorizes the Attorney General to sue law enforcement agencies that deprive citizens of constitutional rights. The DOJ seeks both declaratory relief—that the delays violate the Second Amendment—and a permanent injunction to stop LASD from continuing its stall tactics.
“The defendants’ conduct represents a coordinated effort to nullify through bureaucracy what they cannot deny through law,” the complaint states. “When constitutional rights are deliberately delayed beyond any reasonable timeframe, they are effectively denied.”
A Broader Warning to Recalcitrant States
This case could have national ripple effects. Attorney General Pamela Bondi has already issued warnings to Pennsylvania officials regarding reports of sheriffs improperly denying carry permits to out-of-state residents. In California itself, the Los Angeles Police Department faces similar accusations, with some applicants being told to expect 18–22 month waits.
By targeting Los Angeles County, one of the nation’s largest jurisdictions, the DOJ is sending a message that Bruen’s warning on “abusive permitting schemes” will not be ignored.
Public Invited to Report Violations
In an unprecedented move, DOJ’s press release invited citizens to share their own experiences of permitting delays:
“If you or someone you know has applied for a concealed carry permit in Los Angeles or any jurisdiction within the United States and have not received a reply or decision within four months after applying, please email Community.2ndAmendmentCA@usdoj.gov. The mailbox is actively monitored by attorneys assigned to protect the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens.”
The Stakes for California Gun Owners
Because California does not honor permits issued by other states, residents are entirely dependent on local sheriffs for compliance. That means systemic delays in issuing carry licenses force otherwise law-abiding citizens into a dangerous legal limbo, exposing them to potential felony charges for “carrying a concealed firearm” without a state-issued permit.
Attorney General Bondi summarized the stakes clearly:
“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. This Department of Justice will continue to fight for the Second Amendment.”
