(continuation) #2: John Adams In 1798, Adams signed four bills into law entitled the "Alien and Sedition Acts" in hopes of diminishing the voice of his opposition. These acts made it more difficult for immigrants become citizens, and threatened with fines and imprisonment, anyone who "shall write, print, utter or publish...scandalous writings against the government...or the President". Due to the obvious frightening rejection of basic liberties these bills espoused, all four were repealed by 1802.