The government is restrained by due process and the rule of law. "Paperwork" should not be able to overcome that. The much more reasonable explanation is that

The government is restrained by due process and the rule of law. "Paperwork" should not be able to overcome that. The much more reasonable explanation is that there simply were not laws clearly written to prevent this behavior, or that some attempt was made to write such laws but they are unenforceable for some reason.