The federal judiciary is voicing concerns over insufficient financial support from Congress for the protection of judges amidst growing threats and intimidation tactics. Currently, over 60 judges involved in lawsuits against the Trump administration are benefiting from “enhanced online security screening.” This process involves removing their personal information from public access on the internet. This information was shared by two federal judges appointed by Republican presidents in a communiqué to congressional budget committees.
The judiciary’s call for increased security funding comes as prominent figures like former President Donald Trump, his aide Stephen Miller, and billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk have vocally criticized judges who have obstructed parts of Trump’s policy agenda. These criticisms include threats of impeachment and personal attacks. A notable instance was Trump’s suggestion to impeach a judge who temporarily halted deportations—a proposal which quickly garnered a response from Chief Justice John Roberts.
Since these events, legal actions have been taken against approximately 50 individuals in connection with these threats, according to U.S. Circuit Judge Amy J. St. Eve and U.S. District Judge Robert J. Conrad Jr. Notably, Judge St. Eve was appointed to the federal appeals court in Chicago during Trump’s first term. In some extreme cases, they stated that the U.S. Marshals Service has had to deploy extraordinary measures to guarantee the judges’ safety.
However, unresolved issues remain, such as the increasingly common and troubling deliveries of pizzas to judges’ homes and the homes of their children. U.S. District Judge Esther Salas, during an online forum, emphasized that these deliveries, including some sent under her late son Daniel Anderl’s name, convey a clear and threatening message: “I know where you live, I know where your kids live, and do you want to end up like Judge Salas. Do you want to end up like her son?” Daniel Anderl tragically lost his life when a disgruntled lawyer attacked their family home in 2020.
Adding to these concerns, last month, the sister of Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett experienced a bomb threat in Charleston, South Carolina. Although the police later confirmed no bomb was found, the incident underscores the heightened risk facing those connected to the judiciary.
The letter from the judges, released online last week, highlights the critical shortfall in current funding, which is almost $50 million less than the judiciary’s request exclusively for security purposes. They argue that this funding gap is unsustainable under the present circumstances and urgently needs to be addressed.