That's not it at all. "Basic human rights and the principles of the Enlightenment" have no position in American law while The Constitution is the foundation of all American law and of the actions of American law enforcement people.
Yes, legally the US constitution is king. However the US constitution was not the source of the idea that "all men are created equal" or that "no-one shall be imprisoned unless they get a fair trial", these ideas predate the US consitution.
