ALIEN AND SEDITION ACTS JUNE AND JULY 1798 ALIEN AND SEDITION ACTS U.S GOV'T LEGISLATIVE CIVIL RIGHTS/EQUALITY NATIONAL DEFENSE POLITICAL PARTIES U.S GOVERNMENT AND CONSTITUTION ELECTIONS AND POLITICS IN JUNE AND JULY 1798 CONGRESS PASSED FOUR LAWS THAT TOGETHER ARE KNOWN AS THE ALIEN AND SEDITION ACTS THE NATURALIZATION ACT PASSED IN JUNE RAISED THE RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT FROM 5 TO 14 YEARS FOR IMMIGRANTS WANTING FULL U.S CITIZENSHIP THE ALIEN ACT GAVE THE PRESIDENT THE AUTHORITY TO EXPEL ANY ALIEN OR NON U.S CITIZEN SUSPECTED OF DISLOYALTY TO THE UNITED STATES THE ALIEN ENEMIES ACT ALLOWED THE PRESIDENT TO ARREST IMPRISON OR EXPEL ANY FOREIGNERS FROM ENEMY NATIONS DURING A TIME OF DECLARED WAR THE SEDITION ACT MADE IT ILLEGAL FOR U.S CITIZENS TO DEFAME THE PRESIDENT OR TO PUBLISH ANY FALSE SCANDALOUS AND MALICIOUS WRITING AGAINST THE U.S GOVERNMENT THE SEDITION ACT ALSO MADE IT A CRIME FOR CITIZENS TO PREVENT A FEDERAL OFFICER FROM EXECUTING HIS DUTIES WHEN FEDERALIST CONTROLLED CONGRESS PASSED THESE LAWS A THREAT OF WAR WITH FRANCE EXISTED HOWEVER THE FEDERALISTS IN CONGRESS PRIMARILY USED THE NEW LAWS TO ATTACK REPUBLICAN OPPONENTS AND TO LIMIT CRITICISM OF JOHN ADAMS'S PRESIDENCY OF THE 25 PEOPLE PROSECUTED UNDER THE SEDITION ACT THE 10 WHO WERE CONVICTED WERE REPUBLICAN EDITORS AND PRINTERS TO CONDEMN THE ACTS REPUBLICANS THOMAS JEFFERSON AND JAMES MADISON WROTE THE KENTUCKY AND VIRGINIA RESOLUTIONS WHICH ASSERTED THE RIGHT OF STATES TO REJECT FEDERAL LAWS THAT STATE LEGISLATURES VOTED UNCONSTITUTIONAL NEITHER KENTUCKY NOR VIRGINIA HOWEVER ACTUALLY OBSTRUCTED THE ALIEN AND SEDITION ACTS THE ACTS WERE REPEALED OR EXPIRED BETWEEN 1800 AND 1802
