Alien and Sedition Act of 1798
Alien and Sedition Act 1798 Carrie Ostrander HLS 300E: Administering Homeland Security Steve MacMartin 9 April 2013
Many people believe the fight to secure our homeland began after 9/11 but this is not entirely true. Although this is partially true as there have been many improvements to homeland security, the fight began years ago with multiple acts being passed that, unbeknownst at the time, were in reality related to securing our homeland. In 1798 Congress passed a series of four laws that aimed to control the activities of foreigners in the United States at the time of the impending French Revolutionary War. The four laws, which were collectively called the Alien and Sedition Acts, included the: Naturalization Act, Alien Act, Alien Enemies Act and Sedition Act. The Naturalization Act focused on making a longer period of time of residency for someone seeking citizenship to the United States. This meant that instead of an alien being in the country four just a couple years before being allowed to apply for citizenship the new residency period would require anywhere from 5 to 14 years. The law was aimed at Irish and French immigrants. The Alien Act made it possible for any aliens deemed dangerous during peaceful times in the United States to be expelled. This made it easier for government to remove someone they thought could be dangerous but it only applied to peaceful times not war times which is where the Alien Enemies Act came in. The act made it possible for the not only the expulsion but the imprisonment of aliens who were deemed dangerous during wartime. These people would be considered terrorists today and these acts were the first step in combatting any attack whether it is during peaceful times or war times. Although these three acts were never enforced they did prompt numerous Frenchmen to return home thus proving the dangers that were present in our country before these acts were instated. The Alien Act was very
Many people believe the fight to secure our homeland began after 9/11 but this is not entirely true. Although this is partially true as there have been many improvements to homeland security, the fight began years ago with multiple acts being passed that, unbeknownst at the time, were in reality related to securing our homeland. In 1798 Congress passed a series of four laws that aimed to control the activities of foreigners in the United States at the time of the impending French Revolutionary War. The four laws, which were collectively called the Alien and Sedition Acts, included the: Naturalization Act, Alien Act, Alien Enemies Act and Sedition Act. The Naturalization Act focused on making a longer period of time of residency for someone seeking citizenship to the United States. This meant that instead of an alien being in the country four just a couple years before being allowed to apply for citizenship the new residency period would require anywhere from 5 to 14 years. The law was aimed at Irish and French immigrants. The Alien Act made it possible for any aliens deemed dangerous during peaceful times in the United States to be expelled. This made it easier for government to remove someone they thought could be dangerous but it only applied to peaceful times not war times which is where the Alien Enemies Act came in. The act made it possible for the not only the expulsion but the imprisonment of aliens who were deemed dangerous during wartime. These people would be considered terrorists today and these acts were the first step in combatting any attack whether it is during peaceful times or war times. Although these three acts were never enforced they did prompt numerous Frenchmen to return home thus proving the dangers that were present in our country before these acts were instated. The Alien Act was very
References: (n.d.). (2007). Retrieved from http://www.blackhistory.com/content/60916/13th-14th-and-15th-amendments (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h463.html Fagin, J. A. (2005). When terrorism strikes home, defending the united states. Allyn & Bacon. Fox, W. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.fincen.gov/statutes_regs/patriot/