The Airport Is Not A Constitution-Free Zone

At airports across the U.S., Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents confront flyers as they are boarding flights and ask to search carry-on items.

These interactions are supposed to be consensual.

However, flyers often get the impression that they have no choice but to submit to a search.

This tactic is not only a violation of individual rights but is also driven by the profit motive behind civil forfeiture, a power that lets law enforcement agencies seize property, without ever charging the owner with a crime; seized cash is then funneled into law enforcement accounts.

IJ currently has a class action lawsuit against the DEA and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) over their unconstitutional searches and seizures at U.S. airports.

Donating to the Institute for Justice supports our critical work in defending the rights of innocent individuals subjected to unconstitutional searches and seizures and other forms of governmental abuse.

How Your Donation Helps

  • Your contribution enables us to represent our clients at no cost to them—and to stand with them no matter how long their cases take. And when we win for our clients, we secure precedent that protects the rights of all Americans.
  • IJ receives no money from the government. Our work is powered by nearly 10,000 supporters across the country who believe in the Constitution and the ideals it enshrines. 70% of our funding comes from individuals like you.
  • There is no better investment for defending liberty than IJ. We have litigated more than 400 cases on behalf of more than 1,000 people and turned once obscure issues like civil forfeiture and eminent domain abuse into subjects of national outrage. And IJ is a good steward of donor money, having received Charity Navigator’s top rating 20 years in a row.
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IJ has litigated 12 U.S. Supreme Court cases since 2002, including 10 victories.

IJ has a nearly 75% success rate through litigation and legislation.

IJ litigates nationwide, with more than 90 active cases in 35 states.