The Alien and Sedition Acts were a series of four laws passed by the United States Congress in 1798. These laws were designed to strengthen national security during a time of potential conflict with France. The acts allowed the government to deport non-citizens deemed dangerous and made it harder for immigrants to become citizens. The Sedition Act specifically targeted those who criticized the government, making it illegal to publish false or malicious statements against the President or Congress. These acts were controversial and led to significant political opposition, particularly from the Democratic-Republican Party, which argued that they violated the First Amendment rights to free speech.