@sommerfeld. I am speaking to the law as it is, not as it should be. In the current US legal system, intent matters.

The Fourth Amendment 

"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized." 

Shooting someone in self-defense is not the same as shooting with intent to murder the innocent. Probable cause is a requirement in the current legal system. 

Violating someone's right to privacy without probable cause is a legal violation of the Fourth Amendment. 

While the legal system may be flawed, with the government and big data often violating Fourth Amendment rights by accessing private data without a warrant, the law as it stands requires probable cause and that is often based on intent.

We shouldn't HAVE to pay taxes, but tax avoidance is perfectly legal while tax evasion is very much not.