The U.S. Justice Department has opened a civil rights investigation into whether the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is unlawfully delaying concealed carry permit approvals. The probe, announced by Attorney General Pam Bondi, aims to determine if the department's wait times violate the Second Amendment, which guarantees the right to bear arms.
Bondi emphasized that "The Second Amendment is not a second-class right," signaling a shift in the Justice Department’s focus toward enforcing gun rights. Gun rights advocates welcomed the move, arguing that long delays infringe on constitutional protections, while gun control groups condemned the action as politically motivated.
Critics, including former DOJ official Christy Lopez, say the investigation misuses the department’s civil rights enforcement authority. Traditionally, "pattern or practice" investigations—authorized since 1994 in the wake of the Rodney King beating—have targeted systemic police misconduct, such as excessive force and racial discrimination.
The Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department currently faces a lawsuit from gun rights groups over concealed carry permit fees, processing times, and transparency. The department said it supports Second Amendment rights but is struggling with a staffing shortage, with only 14 employees processing over 4,000 applications.
Gun safety advocacy group Giffords called the DOJ's probe "frivolous" and criticized the department’s recent redirection of civil rights resources. Under the Trump administration, the DOJ has halted several police reform settlements and dropped a case involving abuse allegations at migrant shelters, further highlighting a shift in enforcement priorities.
The DOJ did not clarify whether LA's wait times are significantly longer than those in other major cities. However, the investigation underscores an evolving interpretation of civil rights enforcement, now extending into the contested arena of gun ownership.


Bolivia Orders Pre-Trial Detention of Former President Luis Arce Over Embezzlement Probe
Special Prosecutor Alleges Yoon Suk Yeol Sought North Korea Provocation to Justify Martial Law
Pakistan’s Army Chief Faces Gaza Troop Dilemma Amid US Pressure
Federal Judge Orders Restoration of SEVIS Status for Tufts PhD Student Rumeysa Ozturk
Trump Sues BBC for Defamation Over Edited Capitol Riot Speech Clip
Belarus Frees Opposition Leaders Maria Kalesnikava and Viktar Babaryka in U.S.-Brokered Deal
U.S. and Mexico Reach New Agreement to Tackle Tijuana River Sewage Crisis
Jimmy Lai Convicted Under Hong Kong National Security Law in Landmark Case
Hong Kong Democratic Party Disbands After Member Vote Amid Security Crackdown
Federal Judge Declines to Immediately Halt Trump’s $300 Million White House Ballroom Project
DOJ Sues Loudoun County School Board Over Transgender Locker Room Policy
Tunisia Protests Grow as Opposition Unites Against President Kais Saied’s Rule
Preservation Group Sues Trump Administration to Halt $300 Million White House Ballroom Project
Korea Zinc Plans $6.78 Billion U.S. Smelter Investment With Government Partnership
U.S. Pressures ICC to Limit Authority as Washington Threatens New Sanctions
U.S. Homeland Security Ends TSA Union Contract, Prompting Legal Challenge
Federal Judge Blocks Trump Administration’s Pause on New Wind-Energy Permits 



