The Second Amendment Applies to People Who Can’t Spare $2,100

A working parent in Glendale, Calif., shouldn’t need nearly $2,100 in spare cash before applying to carry a handgun for protection. Rent still comes due, groceries still cost money, and a constitutional right becomes much harder to exercise when the application process competes with the household’s essential bills.

On November 9, President Donald Trump’s Justice Department sued Glendale over its concealed-carry permitting system. Federal officials put total initial application costs between $1,971 and $2,106, with renewal costs between $1,271 and $1,406 every two years. The DOJ alleges the expense and discretionary screening violate the Second Amendment.

The cost breakdown requires care. Glendale’s initial application fee is $1,078. Fingerprinting, required training, and a psychological evaluation add to the overall expense. Calling the entire $2,106 a single city application fee would misstate the case. The applicant, however, must still find the money for the required steps.

From the Signal, Santa Clara Valley:

In a statement announcing the lawsuit, the DOJ said the current fees starkly contrast with the previous fiscal year, when the city charged only $100 for first-time applicants and $25 for renewals.  

The department accused Glendale of violating residents’ Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms by charging exorbitant fees for concealed carry permits. 

“The city of Glendale cannot impose unreasonable fees and unbridled discretion that undermines that core constitutional right,” Acting Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Jesus Osete said in the statement. 

For someone with substantial savings, those expenses may be irritating. For someone living paycheck to paycheck, they can end the application before it begins. Neither person’s income establishes whether they’re responsible, trained, or legally eligible to carry a firearm. A smaller bank balance doesn’t reduce a person’s value.

Glendale’s published police policy says fees reflect actual processing costs, including background checks, document review, and staff time. It also says fees aren’t refundable if an application is denied. Applicants must separately pay for fingerprinting, psychological testing, and firearms training.

The city should explain those costs in detail. How many staff hours does each application require? Which tasks justify the charge? What has Glendale done to make the process efficient? Invoking administrative expenses should begin the examination of a fee, rather than end it. People paying the bill should be able to inspect the calculation.

The Supreme Court anticipated precisely this kind of dispute. Its 2022 Bruen decision allowed objective licensing systems while warning that lengthy delays or exorbitant fees could deny ordinary people their right to carry in public. The ruling didn’t establish a universal dollar ceiling, but it plainly left excessive charges open to challenge.

Glendale’s case will require evidence and a judicial decision. A federal complaint doesn’t establish liability. The important question is whether the city’s requirements operate within the constitutional limits the Supreme Court described.

The DOJ also challenges reference interviews, psychological examinations, applicant interviews, and reviews of public statements, including social media. Federal officials allege Glendale hasn’t published objective standards governing those checks. The question goes beyond the amount charged to the rules officials use to decide who gets permission.

People should understand the standards before spending money on an application. Clear requirements also make it easier to identify inconsistent decisions and challenge errors. A government office exercising power over a constitutional right owes applicants more than confidence in its own judgment.

Trump’s DOJ is right to challenge these barriers. The administration should insist on transparent costs, clear standards, and a process that ordinary people can navigate. Courts can assess the evidence, and Glendale can defend its practices. The public should demand a specific accounting throughout.

Americans with modest incomes face the same need to protect themselves as their wealthier neighbors. They work late shifts, raise children, and carry responsibilities that don’t shrink with their paychecks. Their constitutional rights should remain within reach when the monthly budget leaves little room. Glendale needs to answer for a system that can require roughly $2,100 before those applicants ever receive a permit.

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