Rumor vs Reality

This card was produced in partnership with the Stop Digital Voter Suppression Project.
Militias are only legal if they have been activated by the state or federal government. Otherwise, they are just an armed mob with a name. If you see a so-called “militia” trying to enforce laws, that’s almost certainly illegal. Check with the police or call the Election Protection Hotline: 1-866-Our-Vote.
References
The National Constitution Center: US Constitution, Section 8
Cornell University, Legal Information Institute: U.S. Constitution Annotated Article I. LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT Section VIII Clause XV Clause XVI. Clauses 15 and 16. The Militia THE MILITIA CLAUSES
Georgetown Law, Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection: Fact Sheets on Unlawful Militias for All 50 States Now Available from Georgetown Law’s Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection