As an ordinary citizen, what would you have to fear in the passage of the Alien and Sedition Acts?

United States Congress passed 4 separate laws in 1798, all together called the Alien and Sedition Acts.  An ordinary citizen would have much to fear because all 4 laws limited freedoms, including freedom of speech and expanded the power of the federal government over the individual.

The Naturalization Act extended the period of time that it would take an alien to become a citizen of the United States.  Originally only 5 years, it would take a foreigner 14 years to obtain citizenship.  This was worrisome especially after the passage of the Alien and Alien Enemies Act.  Each of these gave the President and the Congress the power to deport aliens that they deemed "dangerous to the peace and safety of the United States."

The ordinary citizen would most fear the Sedition Act. The Sedition Act was used to prevent individuals from speaking out against the federal government's policies.  Citizens could be imprisoned or fined for even disagreeing with the government, if the government defined it as "scandalous and malicious writing."

The true intention of the laws were to insure that any political opposition was kept quiet.