California Files Federal Lawsuit to Block Closure of National Archives Facility in San Francisco

The State of California filed a federal lawsuit on Wednesday, October 14, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California in San Francisco seeking to keep open the San Francisco National Archives facility. Led by California Attorney General Rob Bonta, the complaint targets the National Archives and Records Administration after the agency announced in late September that it would close its San Francisco and Chicago locations. The closure was announced with no tribal, state, or local consultation, and Bonta warned that records could begin moving to other locations as early as the week following October 16.

Preserving local access to the San Francisco archive is a vital governance priority for California, which is home to 109 federally recognized tribes. Tribal governments depend on the National Archives for original Bureau of Indian Affairs documents, including enrollment records, land records, deeds, and federal boarding school records. The lawsuit states that transferring records would risk damage and loss given their age and fragility, and could make them inaccessible for years during transit and processing.

Following pushback over the late September announcement, archive administrators held two virtual consultations on October 13 and October 15. However, tribal leaders across the Bay Area and Northern California characterized those online sessions as listening sessions rather than true government-to-government consultations. Fallon Carey, digital archives director for the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition, said of the virtual meeting that participants were getting a lot of non-answers and that it felt a lot like lip service.

Civic leaders, university researchers in Berkeley and Oakland, and county historical commissions across the Bay Area have joined tribal officials in opposing the facility closure. Losing local access to primary federal files would force tribal citizens and legal departments to travel out of state for essential research. The state lawsuit seeks a court order halting record transfers until proper statutory consultations are completed.

Public filings and updates regarding the federal lawsuit against the National Archives and Records Administration can be accessed through the California Department of Justice portal at oag.ca.gov or at the federal courthouse on Golden Gate Avenue in San Francisco. Tribal officials and historical boards seeking to submit impact statements may contact the Native American Justice section of the Attorney General office.