The Government Shouldn’t Be Able to Seize Your Money at Will

Foster mom Cristal Starling ran a hot-dog stand in Rochester, N.Y., and was saving to buy a food truck. She was making progress. But early one morning, the police came and took everything. Officers even emptied the pockets of her pants, which they found on the floor. Combined with cash from Starling’s bedroom dresser, the total came to $8,040. She eventually got her money back — three years, two months, and 25 days later.

Now she is fighting for interest. Her struggle to be made whole reveals the need for Congress to act.