The Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division has initiated an investigation into the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. This investigation aims to determine whether there is a pattern or practice in place that deprives law-abiding Californians of their Second Amendment rights. The review is part of a broader examination of restrictive firearms-related laws in California and other states.
A recent federal court decision highlighted concerns about an eighteen-month delay in processing concealed handgun license applications by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. The court noted that "the law and facts [we]re clearly in ... favor" of two private plaintiffs challenging these delays. The Civil Rights Division suspects others in Los Angeles County may similarly face such delays, potentially infringing on their Second Amendment rights.
The Supreme Court has consistently emphasized that the Second Amendment is a fundamental, individual right, not to be treated as "a second-class right." In recent years, the Court has reinforced protections for law-abiding citizens under the Second Amendment.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi stated, “This Department of Justice will not stand idly by while States and localities infringe on the Second Amendment rights of ordinary, law-abiding Americans.” She further affirmed the department's commitment to actively enforcing Second Amendment rights as it does for other constitutional rights.
Attorney General Bondi expressed hopes that states and localities will voluntarily uphold their duty to protect citizens' Second Amendment rights. However, she warned that if necessary, today's announcement might lead to more investigations, lawsuits, or actions against localities in California, the state itself, and other areas that unduly burden these rights.