WASHINGTON (AP) – The Trump administration will soon restore the ability of police to seize suspects’ money and property with federal help, but The Associated Press has learned the policy will come with a series of new provisions aimed at preventing abuse.
The policy to be rolled out Wednesday targets so-called adoptive forfeiture, which lets local authorities circumvent more-restrictive state laws to seize property under federal law.
Former Attorney General Eric Holder significantly limited the practice in response to criticism that it was ripe for abuse. Attorney General Jeff Sessions plans to ease those restrictions, but also impose new requirements, a senior Justice Department official briefed on the policy said Tuesday.
The official, who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity, was not authorized to publicly discuss the changes before their unveiling.