<P> The Alien and Sedition Acts were four bills passed by the Federalist - dominated 5th United States Congress and signed into law by President John Adams in 1798 . They made it harder for an immigrant to become a citizen ( Naturalization Act ) , allowed the president to imprison and deport non-citizens who were deemed dangerous ( Alien Friends Act of 1798 ) or who were from a hostile nation ( Alien Enemy Act of 1798 ) , and criminalized making false statements that were critical of the federal government ( Sedition Act of 1798 ) . </P>
the sedition act of july 1798 criminalized what
making false statements that were critical of the federal government