WASHINGTON — On June 9, the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division announced an investigation into the subjective and vague “good cause” standard used by Philadelphia when issuing permits to carry firearms, illustrating the division’s tenacious focus on its mission of protecting and securing the rights guaranteed under the Second Amendment.
“I have directed the Civil Rights Division, through our Second Amendment Section, to defend law-abiding citizens from local authorities who infringe the right to safely carry legal firearms,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, in a press statement. “Law-abiding Americans, regardless of where they live, should not have to worry that their city will revoke their means of self-defense.”
Ms. Dhillon announced the investigation in a two-page letter to Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker, indicating that the Second Amendment Section will conduct the investigation under the context of the 1994 Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, which prohibits state and local governments from engaging in a pattern or practice of conduct by law enforcement officers that deprives individuals of rights protected by the Constitution or federal law.
The letter notes that the investigation will look at possible infringements under both the Second and Fourteenth Amendments, and if violations are found, the DOJ will “work cooperatively with the City and the PPD to reach agreements regarding how to best remedy those violations.” It also states that if no cooperative agreements can be reached, the DOJ is prepared to sue the city in district court.
Philadelphia’s recalcitrant position on firearms, in the wake of the 2022 Bruen Supreme Court decision, is emblematic of that of many jurisdictions that are run by Democrats. For example, as recently as 2025, the city refused to issue carry permits to out-of-state applicants, in violation of both Pennsylvania law and the Second Amendment.
We’ve similarly covered numerous New Jersey municipalities next door who have been found to violate 2A rights with patterns of abuse uncovered in lawsuits brought by New Jersey Firearms Owners Syndicate (NJFOS) and Second Amendment Foundation (SAF).
Ms. Dhillon’s announcement of the Philadelphia investigation signals that the Second Amendment Section will go after any municipality, regardless of location or size, that is infringing on Second Amendment rights, encouraging individuals to take action, stating, “If you believe your right to keep and bear arms is being infringed, please submit a complaint through [the Second Amendment Section complaint portal].”
To date, the Second Amendment Section under Ms. Dhillon’s leadership has a perfect pro-2A track record. Our readers can reference our DOJ Action Tracker, which is a complete timeline of all 2A-related DOJ actions.
