The practice includes DEA special agents or task force officers approaching individuals at airports and then asking for consent to search the individual’s belongings.
The DOJ’s move comes four years after Scripps News Tampa Investigative Reporter Kylie McGivern highlighted the practice of civil asset forfeiture at airports by the DEA.
Civil asset forfeiture allows federal agencies to seize cash and other property suspected of being involved in a crime, even if charges are never filed against the owner.
The Institute for Justice called the move a “pretty significant change.”
“It means that air travelers across the United States, at all domestic airports, will not be subjected to these ‘consensual encounter’ interrogations by DEA,” said Dan Alban, senior attorney for the Institute for Justice.
At an airport. Consent does not exist in high security areas. What do people think happens if they refuse? Not in a rhetorical sense, but what do they actually think the consequences of a refusal will be?
This is no difference than a gang asking politely for payment and then hand waiving any concerns, it was a request! They could have refused!
The expectation is punishment for refusal.
I didn’t even know this was a thing. I never carry cash because everything works throughout the US. It’s the international travelers that probably get stopped, right? That’s even worse because they may not know the laws or have anyone to ask or tell.
The Las Vegas tourism board literally warns big players that when traveling to LV with large amounts of cash, avoid x states, do not fly, keep the money in a locked box, and do not answer any police questions about it, but primarily that they will have specific facilities in the casinos to allow large cash withdrawals and will work with your bank to claim the money within their terms, after they have made sure you have the funds to be withdrawn. then front you the cash.