In September 2020, the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died at the age of 87 due to her battle with pancreatic cancer. With the presidential election just a month away, the nation was puzzled about what to do with her vacant seat. Despite Ginsburg’s last remaining wish to be replaced after the new president was elected, President Donald Trump formally nominated Judge Amy Coney Barrett into the Supreme Court.
When announced as the top candidate, Barrett’s political views and background received some heavy criticism. Under the Trump administration, Barrett served as a circuit judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. Some issues that Barrett addresses mainly pertain toward abortion and immigration, which has many Democrats concerned.
Abortion
On abortion, Barrett states that:
“I think the question of whether people can get very late-term abortions, you know, how many restrictions can be put on clinics, I think that will change.”
National Public Radio (NPR)
Her response to abortion heavily contrasts with some of the works she has published. In 1998, she wrote an article titled “Catholic Judges in Capital Cases,” addressing that abortion is “always immoral.”
Immigration
Barrett’s views on immigration rights can be seen through the case of Gerson Alvarenga-Flores. When Alvarenga witnessed the horrific attacks done by the gang of MS-13 in El Salvador, he knew his life was in danger and sought out help in the United States. While seeking aid, his hope for a better life disappeared when Judge Barrett denied protection. The reasoning was due to the fact that there were:
“minor discrepancies in Alvarenga’s story that… [Barrett] called “trivial.”
The Intercept
Barrett’s track record continues to be scrutinized by the general public, and it is uncertain whether or she has changed. In a 2017 questioning, when asked about her religion as a devout Catholic, Barrett reassuringly says that judges should:
“follow their personal convictions in the decision of a case, rather than what the law requires.”
Associated Press (AP News)
Although the future of the United States remains unpredictable, Barrett’s position as a Supreme Court justice is definitely worrisome for individuals who feel strongly about abortion and immigration rights.
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