Let’s get one thing out of the way: it’s not normal to stuff $100,000 in cash into a suitcase and then check said suitcase on to a domestic flight. It’s extremely weird, in fact, not something you’d expect a typical person to do in their lifetime. However, doing so is emphatically
$100k in a suitcase and you choose not to explain why, that’s why it’s called “forfeiture” because you willing gave it up. When its $1000 or less yeah I can see the outrage but no normal human being has over a years salary in cash and can’t explain how or why. It’s at best money laundering or tax evasion. The article should focus on normal people.
Even if you immediately explain why they will take the cash anyway. Then you spend months in court paying lawyer fees for the chance of getting it back.
You do realizing that explaining why will not cause them to let you keep the $100k. They WILL seize it, regardless of your reasons. They take note of those reasons you give so they can use that against you in a court of law, however.