What did Jefferson and Madison use to fight against the alien and sedition act?

Jefferson and Madison opposed the Alien and Sedition Acts by drafting the Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions in 1798. These resolutions asserted that states had the right to nullify Federal Laws they deemed unconstitutional. They argued that the Acts violated the First Amendment rights to free speech and press, effectively challenging the federal government's authority. This political stance laid the groundwork for the principle of states' rights and resistance to federal overreach.