Judges’ group raises concerns for funding security of lower courts

Federal judges pleaded with Congress on Tuesday to allocate more money for their security, saying they face increasing threats as they deal with thorny cases, including a number of lawsuits challenging President Trump’s aggressive agenda.

Judge Amy St. Eve, head of the budget committee for the Judicial Conference of the United States, the body of federal judges, said plans to enact a stopgap bill to keep the government open into the new fiscal year on Oct. 1 will leave the judges without money for security improvements.

“We have informed Congress of our concerns,” said Judge St. Eve, a Trump appointee to the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

The stopgap bill keeps the government operating at current levels, first enacted in 2024. The stopgap, which still requires approval by Congress, is slated to run through Nov. 21, and Republicans who control the legislature say they hope to have a full spending bill then.

That would determine new security spending levels for the judges.

The stopgap “continuing resolution” proposed by lawmakers through mid-November did include $30 million in additional money for their own security.

Judges want more money to pay for equipment at courthouses, such as metal detectors, videos and locks.

“Not getting additional money for it really has an impact on court security equipment at the courthouses,” Judge St. Eve said.

Sixth U.S. Circuit Chief Judge Jeffrey Sutton said it is a “new world” when it comes to security, “judges included.”

“The more money, the better — whether it is personal security, cyber security, you name it. These are important requests we are making and all the help we can get is going to be appreciated,” he told reporters. 

FBI Director Kash Patel told lawmakers on Capitol Hill that the FBI is working 35 open investigations against judges who have received violent messages. Seventeen were federal judges. 

Mr. Patel said he is concerned about the problem and his agency is referring cases for prosecution. 

Judges have increasingly spoken out against threats of violence, pointing to worrying rhetoric from both sides of the political aisle in recent years and saying the threats have reached a new peak during the second Trump administration.

Judge Sutton in March also spoke to reporters about judicial security concerns amid a rise in threats against judges.