DEA Caught Red-Handed: Airport Intimidation (youtube.com)
‘I don’t care if you consent.'
Because the citizen booked a flight last minute to a city which is considered to have lots of drug activity (which is most US cities) this happens.
Defending your (and everyones') consitutional rights is not ‘silly’.
Fourth Amendment protects you and ALSO your ‘effects’ such as carry-on bags from illegal search and seizure. Seizing someone's carry-on bag is essentially detaining them.
Civil forfeiture, seizing cash the agency gets to keep.
DEA agents deceive passengers trying to make them think they are in the right (when they are committing a consitutional crime) and threatening to make passengers lose their flights unless they consent. They seize money without alleging any crime.
Some commenters suggested the agent was a ‘criminal with a badge’ and that he was a traitor (to the nation based on the Constitution, I guess).
'Qualified Immunity" goes away if they act outside of their delegated authority.
‘Garland comes to mind... Pelosi, and Brandon.’