This text is extremely telling about TSA's mentality. They lump cash in with illegal drugs as a form of contraband. Illegal drugs are in fact contraband (though I have serious doubts as to if TSA should be reporting them), but CASH IS NOT CONTRABAND.

They have essentially extended their administrative search to search for contraband that is otherwise not illegal. They refer the cash to law enforcement, bypassing the probable cause requirement that cop would have had to search for the cash. And then depending on the cop's local rules, the cop may have the option to seize the cash with no other evidence what so ever and the burden of proof for recovery on the passenger.

Yes, you risk such seizure if you drive down the street with $11K in your car, but you are protected because the cops can't go searching for that cash unless they have legitimate probable cause to search your person and/or vehicle. TSA has bypasses that completely and created an extremely high risk that any domestic air traveler traveling with cash is subject to a high risk of seizure.

Those who don't believe slippery slopes of destroyed freedoms happen, and don't believe TSA is involved in these slippery slopes, need to consider this situation carefully.