WASHINGTON — Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor issued a public apology on Wednesday for remarks she made about Justice Brett Kavanaugh during a recent appearance, describing them as “inappropriate” and “hurtful,” according to a statement released by the court.
Sotomayor made the comments on April 7 at the University of Kansas School of Law while discussing a disagreement with a colleague in a prior case involving immigration enforcement stops. In her remarks, she appeared to criticize Kavanaugh’s concurring opinion in a 2025 Supreme Court decision that allowed the Trump administration to proceed with certain immigration patrols in the Los Angeles area, which critics had described as involving racial profiling.
The case stemmed from an emergency application in which the court lifted restrictions on immigration stops that challengers said were based on factors including apparent ethnicity or language. Kavanaugh wrote a concurrence explaining his view that such factors, when combined with others, could support reasonable suspicion for brief inquiries into immigration status. The majority did not issue a full opinion.
In her Kansas appearance, Sotomayor referred to a colleague who had written that the stops were temporary, adding comments about the colleague’s background that suggested limited familiarity with hourly workers. The remarks drew attention for their personal tone, which is unusual among the justices, who often emphasize collegiality despite ideological differences.
On Wednesday, Sotomayor released a three-sentence statement through the court’s Public Information Office: “At a recent appearance at the University of Kansas School of Law, I referred to a disagreement with one of my colleagues in a prior case, but I made remarks that were inappropriate. I regret my hurtful comments. I have apologized to my colleague.” She did not name Kavanaugh in the statement.
Such public apologies between sitting Supreme Court justices are rare. Sotomayor has previously spoken about the importance of maintaining personal relationships on the court even amid sharp legal disagreements.
Kavanaugh has not publicly commented on the matter. The court has not released additional details about any private exchange between the two justices.
As of Thursday, no further statements had been issued by either justice or the court regarding the incident. The Supreme Court is currently in the final stretch of its term, handling several high-profile cases.
