Picture this: You’re traveling from London to Boston. You go through the normal customs check at Logan, but then you’re asked to surrender your laptop, your Treo and your iPod. You ask, “For what reason? I’ve broken no laws. This is unconstitutional, You can’t just confiscate legal possessions.” The reply: “Yes, we can.”

Can customs officials confiscate personal property? Yes they can. Is it unconstitutional? Probably. The conflict arises when there is no reasonable suspicion that triggers a search or confiscation, but rather a presumption of guilt and lack of due process. Welcome to the New American Order.

Continued