California Sues to Block National Archives Closure

Attorney General Rob Bonta argues the planned shutdown of the San Francisco National Archives and transfer of its records violates federal law.

Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Law

Bold flat-color editorial illustration of a plain stone government building with a single flagpole against a pale horizon, evoking a contested public institution. — California Attorney General Rob Bonta sued on Oct. 14 to block the federal closure of the San Francisco National Archives and transfer of its records. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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California Attorney General Rob Bonta filed a lawsuit on Oct. 14 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California challenging the closure of the National Archives at San Francisco. The suit argues the planned transfer of its holdings to five other National Archives facilities violates the Administrative Procedure Act.

Why it matters

The San Francisco facility holds records dating back more than 175 years, including Indian boarding school files, Chinese Exclusion Act-era immigration cases, and case files tied to Japanese American incarceration. Because less than 4% of National Archives records nationwide are digitized, the outcome could affect how researchers and state agencies access these materials.

The San Bruno facility holds more than 75,000 cubic feet of federal records, while fewer than 4% of National Archives holdings nationwide have been digitized. The court's ruling on the transfer plan remains pending.

The players

Rob Bonta

Rob Bonta is the Attorney General of California, the state's chief legal officer, who filed the lawsuit against the federal closure.

National Archives and Records Administration

The National Archives and Records Administration is the independent federal agency responsible for preserving and providing access to U.S. government records.

The details

NARA informed employees in June that the San Francisco and Chicago Archives would close within a few years and announced the transfer plan in August. Bonta's suit seeks a court order vacating the closure decision and barring the transfer of records, and planned NASA record movements to Fort Worth are also at issue.

June: Employees were told the San Francisco and Chicago Archives would close within a few years.
August: NARA announced records would move to five other National Archives facilities.
Oct. 14: Bonta filed the lawsuit challenging the closure.
November: Records transfer could begin as soon as this month.

Legal Context

The suit invokes the Administrative Procedure Act, the 1946 federal statute that governs how agencies make and review decisions, to challenge NARA's closure plan. The case will test whether the agency followed required procedures before moving records out of San Francisco.

Researchers and state agencies that rely on San Francisco Archives materials could face delays in access if records are moved to other facilities. Pending State Parks projects at Angel Island depend on those records remaining available throughout the work.

The takeaway

Access to historical federal records depends on where they are stored and whether they are digitized. Residents interested in these archives can track the court case as it develops.