Dear John,

On the last day of the year, I wanted to take a moment everything IJ and our friends have accomplished together.

We’ve been a force for justice all year long—and in fact, we secured another wave of victories in just the past few weeks. I know you’ve heard from me quite a bit this month, but I hope you’ll allow me to share these last few announcements of good news before we ring in the new year!

As you may recall, footage of one traveler’s shocking experience on IJ’s YouTube page—a video that has amassed three million views—prompted the Department of Justice to suspend the Drug Enforcement Administration’s controversial interdiction practices. The news came just in time for Thanksgiving travelers, who could visit family and loved ones without fear of having agents intercept them, interrogate them, and insist on searching their bags.

And as the holiday season ramped up, so did our wins. Here are the highlights:

- In Georgia, we secured victory on behalf of Awa Diagne, a hair braider in South Fulton who was denied a permit to open her shop in order to shield an existing salon from competition. Just four months after we filed suit, a judge ruled that the city improperly blocked Awa’s business—building on the precedent we secured at the state’s highest court last year. The city declined to appeal, granted her permit, and her doors are finally open to happy local customers!

- In California, we got a 9th Circuit decision overturning a disastrous lower court ruling that had rubberstamped Humboldt County’s practice of fining innocent landowners into the millions of dollars for bogus accusations of cannabis growing or violations committed by previous owners. Property owners wait years for a hearing while fines of tens of thousands of dollars accrue daily. Now, our case against this abusive system will move forward.

- In Delaware, our lawsuit challenging Wilmington’s predatory towing and impound practices came to an end after the city agreed to work with IJ to end their scheme and replace it with a system of fairness and due process. Reforms include repeated notice to citizens of violations, easy payment plans for parking tickets, and convenient hearings.

- In Florida, we shut down Pasco County’s dystopian predictive policing system. Using a crude computer algorithm, the sheriff’s office created a list of people they thought were likely to commit crimes, including minors. Deputies then harassed those people and their families, hoping to drive them out of the county. On the eve of trial, the sheriff capitulated—admitting that the program resulted in repeated constitutional violations, pledging that it will never resume, and agreeing to a six-figure settlement for our clients.

- In Indiana, we secured the return of our clients’ money after authorities tried to forfeit it without alleging any crime. Indianapolis contains the second largest FedEx hub in the U.S., and the state seizes and tries to forfeit packages transiting through for the flimsiest of reasons. In the package destined for our clients, they found no contraband—only the cash payment a customer had insisted on sending our clients, a small jewelry business. Our broader class action lawsuit will continue.

These holiday season victories—and so many others throughout the year—were made possible by our generous supporters. We made two successful trips to the U.S. Supreme Court, launched our newest Zoning Justice Project, and secured 65 victories in courthouses, state houses, and city halls.

Our full docket of 111 cases at every level of state and federal court means there’s even more to come in 2025. As we prepare for the new year, your support is essential. Together, we can secure even more victories, take on new cases, and ensure that every American has the opportunity to live freely and prosper.

Please join IJ today. ([link removed] )

 

Scott

Scott G. Bullock

President and Chief Counsel

Institute for Justice

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