Supreme Court Justices Seek Additional Security Funding Amid Rising Threats

Supreme Court Justices Amy Coney Barrett and Elena Kagan are scheduled to appear before Congress on Tuesday to request additional security funding. This request reflects the increasing threats against federal judges and their families. The justices, representing different ideological factions of the court, will testify about the Supreme Court’s $228 million budget request for the upcoming fiscal year starting October 1. This request marks an increase of approximately $20 million from the previous funding.

It will be the first appearance of Supreme Court justices before Congress since 2019. Justice Barrett is anticipated to face inquiries about her judicial decisions, especially following a contentious term where the court intervened in significant policies initiated by former President Donald Trump.

Budgetary Requests

The judiciary seeks $920.9 million for security in fiscal year 2027. This figure represents a $28.9 million, or 3.2 percent, increase from the previous year’s budget. The funds are intended for frontline security forces at federal courthouses.

The Supreme Court’s budget request includes a $14.6 million increase to enhance the protection of justices and their families. This security expansion will cover their homes and travels beyond Washington. The proposed budget would fund six additional agents per justice and an administrative post. It also plans for 25 officers to boost security at the Supreme Court Building and four more administrative roles for police operations.

Documents reveal a $6.5 million request for a new facility to screen visitors to the court, akin to the Capitol visitor center established in 2008. Furthermore, there’s a $2.3 million ask for hiring engineers to defend against cyberthreats, and $2 million for a command post to improve residential security management. This command post aims to enhance hiring and response efficiency among Supreme Court police officers.

Overall, the judiciary requests $9.7 billion in total funding, a 4.5 percent rise from the fiscal year 2026 appropriation of $9.2 billion. Congress must decide on these requests and pass a new fiscal year 2027 spending bill by September 30.

Reasons for the Request

The increase in security funding requests corresponds to a rise in threats against federal judges, including Supreme Court justices. In 2022, protests escalated following the Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade, leading to around-the-clock security at justices’ homes after an assassination attempt on Justice Brett Kavanaugh.

Threats have persisted, with Barrett experiencing a swatting attempt at her Virginia residence in May, and a false bomb threat targeted her sister in South Carolina last year. The U.S. Marshals Service recorded 564 threats in the past fiscal year, an increase from 509 in the prior year.