The Department of Justice (DOJ) is facing backlash for its excessive spending of over $6 billion on contracts with private firms to handle its asset forfeiture investigations. Civil asset forfeiture, a process in which the government seizes money or property believed to be connected to a crime, has come under fire for its alleged mistreatment of innocent American citizens. Critics argue that these individuals are frequently targeted, and their assets seized, without any proper legal process.

The Institute for Justice, a nonprofit law firm, has voiced concerns over the treatment of ordinary citizens as mere ATMs through asset forfeiture, as law enforcement agencies generate substantial revenue from these seized assets. Private companies have been contracted to assist in various aspects of asset forfeiture, such as investigation, asset identification, record-keeping, and courtroom testimonies.

Detractors of asset forfeiture argue that it places an unjust burden of proof on property owners, rendering it arduous and costly for them to reclaim their seized assets. Moreover, the process is often civil, meaning individuals do not have the right to a public defender. Critics also highlight numerous instances where innocent individuals have fallen victim to asset seizures, with minimal to no judicial supervision.

This controversy surrounding civil asset forfeiture undoubtedly raises concerns about striking a balance between law enforcement’s imperative to combat criminal activities and safeguarding individuals’ rights to due process and protection against unwarranted appropriation of their property.