The federal judiciary has raised concerns over insufficient funding from Congress for judges’ security amidst an uptick in threats and attempts at intimidation. More than 60 judges handling lawsuits against the Trump administration are now under “enhanced online security screening,” which typically involves removing their personal information from the internet. This information comes from a letter authored by two federal judges, appointed by Republican presidents, addressing congressional appropriators on behalf of the judiciary.
High-profile figures like President Donald Trump, senior aide Stephen Miller, and billionaire Elon Musk have criticized judges who have obstructed parts of Trump’s agenda, calling for impeachment and engaging in personal attacks. A judge who halted deportations temporarily using an 18th-century wartime law faced calls for impeachment from Trump, prompting a rapid response from Chief Justice John Roberts. Approximately 50 individuals have faced criminal charges related to these threats, as noted by U.S. Circuit Judge Amy J. St. Eve and U.S. District Judge Robert J. Conrad Jr., with St. Eve appointed to the federal appeals court in Chicago during Trump’s first term. In some serious cases, the U.S. Marshals Service has had to implement extraordinary measures to protect judges.
Despite these efforts, the authorities have not yet apprehended anyone responsible for the hundreds of unnerving and unwanted pizza deliveries to judges’ homes and their children, according to U.S. District Judge Esther Salas. During an online forum, Salas, whose son Daniel Anderl was tragically shot and killed at their home by a disgruntled lawyer in 2020, disclosed that the latest deliveries were made in her late son’s name. The threatening message implied awareness of personal residences and family, echoing a sinister warning.
In another incident, a bomb threat targeted a sister of Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett in Charleston, South Carolina, although no bomb was discovered, according to police reports. The judiciary’s letter, which was sent last week and published online on Friday, highlights that the current funding for court security falls nearly $50 million short of the requested amount, a situation deemed unsustainable.
