Kermit Warren, a grandfather and church deacon from the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans, will get his hard-earned life savings back, thanks to IJ’s latest victory against civil forfeiture. Less than three months after IJ joined with Kermit to challenge the illegal seizure of his savings, the federal government agreed to return his money and dismiss his case with prejudice, clearing his name.
In November 2020, Kermit was flying home from the Columbus, Ohio, airport. He was carrying $30,000 he had managed to save over the years, money he had planned to use to buy a truck to expand his hauling business before the deal fell through. But when officers from the Drug Enforcement Agency saw the money, they weren’t interested in his explanation. They seized Kermit’s savings, and six months later the government said it would keep the money forever.
Although Kermit was never accused of any crime, the government’s seizure left him destitute for a year as he struggled to survive pandemic lockdowns and Hurricane Ida.
Our win on Kermit’s behalf is IJ’s latest success in our fight to ensure no one loses their property to a corrupt and financially-driven civil forfeiture system—and our ongoing class action lawsuit against the DEA and TSA’s seizures of cash from innocent air travelers will hopefully end these abusive practices for good.
Our supporters make victories like Kermit’s possible and ensure that our fight will continue until all property owners are safe from civil forfeiture. Please consider making a donation so we can keep vindicating the rights of people like Kermit.