As violent crime spirals out of control in Democrat-run cities, President Donald Trump’s Department of Justice has stepped in.
This time targeting Los Angeles County for allegedly blocking citizens from exercising their Second Amendment rights.
DOJ Takes Aim at Newsom’s California Over Gun Rights
The new federal lawsuit marks another major clash between the Trump administration and left-wing state leaders over public safety, law enforcement, and the right to self-defense.
The Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division accuses the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) of deliberately denying or delaying concealed carry permits (CCWs) for law-abiding citizens. Investigators found that out of 8,000 applications, only two were approved — with some residents waiting over two years just to be interviewed.
Critics say this inaction has left thousands of families defenseless as robberies, assaults, and carjackings surge across the county.
Trump’s DOJ Says the Constitution Is Non-Negotiable
“Los Angeles County may not like the Second Amendment, but the Constitution doesn’t give them a choice,” said Attorney General Pam Bondi, defending the Trump DOJ’s action. “This Department of Justice will continue to stand up for Americans’ right to bear arms.”
City officials, however, are trying to downplay the issue. Mayor Karen Bass claimed Los Angeles is on track for its lowest homicide rate in 60 years — a claim many residents find hard to believe amid skyrocketing street violence and theft.
Harmeet Dhillon: ‘A Right Delayed Is a Right Denied’
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon called Los Angeles “a real outlier,” pointing out that San Francisco and even Washington, D.C. process CCW permits in days — not years.
“Imagine needing a license to speak your mind, and then waiting three years for the government’s approval,” Dhillon said. “A right delayed is a right denied. The Second Amendment is not a second-class right.”
Between January 2024 and March 2025, more than 4,000 CCW applications were filed in Los Angeles County — and just two approved. Some residents have been waiting three years for their paperwork to move.
Citizens Left Helpless as Crime Rises
“Citizens in high-crime areas can’t afford to wait years to defend themselves,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli. “The right to bear arms is one of our nation’s founding principles — and it must be upheld.”
Dhillon says the solution is simple: “Hire more staff. Streamline the process. If D.C. can issue permits in under a week, Los Angeles can too — if they actually wanted to.”
Many residents, she said, don’t even bother applying because they know it’s a dead end. “People have given up. When their friends tell them the wait is three years, they just stop trying.”
Republicans Demand Accountability
California Congressman Kevin Kiley (R) urged Los Angeles County to cooperate fully with the DOJ’s investigation.
“California continues to face some of the highest crime rates in the country,” Kiley said. “Every law-abiding citizen should have the right and ability to protect their family. Delays like these are unacceptable.”
Dhillon: ‘An Armed Citizenry Is a Safe Citizenry’
Dhillon ended with a powerful message — one that resonates deeply with Americans frustrated by rising lawlessness and government overreach.
“An armed citizenry is a safe citizenry,” she said. “We should be teaching gun safety, not discouraging it. Americans deserve the right to defend themselves, their families, and their communities.”
