Property rights are among the fundamental elements of a free society and a free economy. Since 1984, CEI has defended these principles by opposing public policies that sound great, do little, and ultimately harm the common good.
Civil forfeiture has become a significant government intrusion in recent years. While it remains a viable instrument for federal agents enforcing customs laws and fighting international crime, misguided policies and misaligned incentives foster abuses and raise grave constitutional concerns.
Each year, federal and state forfeiture programs allow law enforcement to seize more than $3 billion in cash and property from thousands of people – often without ever charging them with a crime. There are also serious questions as to whether civil courts using lower burdens of proof are the appropriate means to enforce government anti-crime policies.
Civil forfeiture further jeopardizes the relationship between police and their communities when vulnerable residents who cannot afford to challenge small-value seizures are targeted. There are also questionable benefits when financially-stressed departments prioritize revenue-generating forfeitures over arrests, drug interdiction, and crime-fighting.
CEI is addressing these issues through its new Forfeiture Reform Initiative: engaging federal and state policymakers to implement much-needed reforms and educating the public about their constitutional rights to stop improper seizures in the first place.
No person should have to fear for their property while engaged in lawful activities or lose it without ever being convicted of a crime.
Featured Posts
Blog
Government May Not Avoid Just Compensation in Debt Seizures
Some state governments have been acting as if the Fifth Amendment’s requirement of just compensation doesn’t apply in the course of collection of government debts.
Federal News Network
How do you protect your assets from seizures and forfeitures?
CEI Deputy General Counsel Dan Greenberg described seizures and forfeitures, how to protect your assets, and how difficult it is for consumers to retrieve their…
Blog
“They’re Taking My Stuff!” – Now on Video!
News that involves the police is inherently dramatic, and stories about what police officers do regularly make the news—asset seizure of hundreds of thousands of…
Search Posts
Study
“They’re Taking My Stuff!”
What You Need to Know about Seizure and Forfeiture…
National Review
Ending a Destructive and Illegal Government Program
Late last week the U.S. Supreme Court vacated a stay on a lower-court decision that struck down the Biden administration’s extension of the CDC’s nationwide eviction…
Blog
Landlords Deserve Protection Too
Yesterday, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the Biden administration’s extension of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s nationwide eviction moratorium. While most…
The Detroit News
Change to Michigan Law Required to Stop Police from Seizing Your Property Without Cause
What if the government took your car and refused to give it back? That’s what happened to Stephen Nichols after he was caught using a…
Inside Sources
In Major Win for Energy Sector, SCOTUS Rules in Favor of PennEast Pipeline
Inside Sources cites Director of the Center for Energy and Environment on eminent domain: Myron Ebell, director of the Center for Energy and Environment…
Blog
Michigan Civil Forfeiture Appeal Declined by U.S. Supreme Court, but Underlying Problem Remains
In July 2015, Stephen Nichols presented a counterfeit insurance certificate during a traffic stop in Lincoln Park, Michigan. He was not arrested or charged with…
