What are the Alien and Sedition Acts?
The Alien and Sedition Acts consisted of four bills that the Federalists passed in 1798. The Acts were intended to protect Americans from their foreign enemies (France). The four acts made it harder for foreigners to become citizens, gave the President power to deport anyone of suspicion, and made malicious or false writing about government officials illegal. Overall, the Alien and Sedition Acts were ruled unconstitutional.
