Err, what? The constitution is itself part of the law. If a legislative law is ruled unconstitutional, then that legislative law is invalid, and always was. Erg

Err, what? The constitution is itself part of the law. If a legislative law is ruled unconstitutional, then that legislative law is invalid, and always was. Ergo there was no authority to perform the searches they did. You seem to be implying a different model under which unconstitutional legislative laws would remain in effect, but the people who passed them would be personally responsible for having gone against the constitution.