by Los Angeles, CA – The U.S. Justice Department has officially filed a lawsuit against the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, accusing the agency of deliberately stalling concealed carry license applications and infringing on constitutional rights. The suit marks the Justice Department’s first-ever affirmative legal action in defense of gun owners’ rights under the Second Amendment.
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California on October 1, alleges a “deliberate pattern of unconscionable delay” by the sheriff’s department that has rendered the right to bear arms “meaningless in practice” for many residents seeking permits to carry concealed weapons.
Allegations of Intentional Delays in Concealed Carry Licensing
The legal complaint outlines troubling statistics between January and March, where the sheriff’s office received 3,982 new concealed carry weapon license applications but approved only two and denied two, leaving thousands pending. Federal prosecutors revealed that as of May 8, approximately 2,768 applications remained unprocessed, with some applicants facing interview dates as far out as November 2026.
- The average wait time for processing applications was reported as 281 days, despite state law mandating an initial determination within 90 days.
- Over 1,200 applications were withdrawn during this period.
- The complaint characterizes the sheriff’s department process as an “administrative labyrinth” designed to obstruct and frustrate applicants.
“This case concerns more than administrative delays — it addresses a coordinated effort by Defendants to nullify through bureaucratic obstruction what they cannot deny through law. When constitutional rights are deliberately delayed beyond any reasonable timeframe, they are effectively denied,” the lawsuit states.
Sheriff’s Department Response and Context
In response, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department denied the allegations, explaining that their delays stemmed from a transition from a paper-based system to a digital platform shortly after an Assistant Attorney General took office in April. The department also highlighted longstanding issues:
- Since 2020, despite staff shortages, over 19,000 licenses have been approved.
- In 2025 alone, more than 5,000 permits have been approved to date, including 2,722 new applications.
- When Sheriff Robert Luna assumed office in December 2022, he inherited a backlog of about 10,000 applications, which has been reduced to approximately 3,200 as of now.
The department declared, “We remain committed to addressing all applications fairly, promptly and with a balanced approach” and that a fair review would show no systematic deprivation of Second Amendment rights by their office.
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The Broader Implications for Gun Rights in California
California law requires individuals to obtain a license from a county sheriff or police chief to carry a concealed weapon, putting significant power in the hands of local authorities. This lawsuit raises critical questions about how these powers are exercised and the balance between public safety and constitutional rights.
Attorney General Pam Bondi 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.”
For further details on this escalating legal battle, visit UPI’s original report.
What Comes Next?
This lawsuit could set a precedent for how law enforcement agencies nationwide handle concealed carry license applications and the extent of delays tolerated before infringing constitutional rights. Watch closely as the case unfolds in the Central District of California.
Key takeaways include:
- The constitutional debate over Second Amendment rights versus administrative discretion.
- Potential reforms in concealed carry licensing procedures to avoid undue delays.
- The role of federal oversight in state and local gun regulation enforcement.
What do you think about this lawsuit and the delay in concealed carry permits? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
