Supreme Court pushes Congress for more security: "Threats have come very close"

Supreme Court Justices Elena Kagan and Amy Coney Barrett have urged Congress to allocate more funds for the protection of the judiciary, citing a significant increase in threats. The justices made rare joint appearances before House and Senate subcommittees to present the Supreme Court's budget request for the upcoming fiscal year.

Their testimony comes after a term that included major rulings on immigration, voting rights, and executive power. The court is requesting over $228 million, an increase of more than $20 million from its previous budget. A substantial portion of this request, $14.6 million, is earmarked for expanding security for the justices, which would provide additional agents for each member of the court and cover travel security outside Washington, D.C.

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For some of us, those threats have come very close, and all of us live with the knowledge that they may again materialize.

Justice Kagan emphasized that recent budget increases have been almost entirely dedicated to security, as the Supreme Court Police have taken over residential security for justices from the U.S. Marshals Service. She warned that threats have "come very close" for some justices and that all members live with the possibility of future threats, while affirming their commitment to adjudicating cases without fear.

Budget documents indicate that each justice is currently assigned between four and eight officers, a number that can increase based on specific threats or public event participation. The Supreme Court Police anticipate a 38% rise in threats for 2026. Data from the Marshals Service shows a 57% increase in "security incidents of significant concern" for federal judges in fiscal year 2025, with 370 threats reported to judges as of July 1 of the current fiscal year, leading to 512 investigations.

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But as the chief justice has said, all members of the court continue to do their jobs as they believe legally right, adjudicating cases without fear or favor.