This kind of abuse of power is exactly what our Constitution and Bill of Rights were written to prevent. Our Founding Fathers who argued over whether a Bill of Rights was even necessary in our Constitution would be shocked to learn how badly we're being abused in modern America.
The First Congress passed not only the Bill of Rights but also the first civil forfeiture law. The Founders were not as fond of civil liberties once they won the Revolutionary War and got into power as they were when they were fighting the British.