Can You Form Your Own, Local Militia?

Earlier this year, Democratic lawmakers introduced a new piece of legislation to Congress that would make it illegal for Americans to form militias.

The bill was introduced to both the House and Senate, and it’s officially titled the “Preventing Private Paramilitary Activity Act of 2024.”

Its stated purpose is to outlaw the formation of citizen militias in the United States.

However, the introduction of this bill raises a very obvious question: If this is something that lawmakers are trying to ban, then what is the legal status right now? Can ordinary American citizens form their own, local militias?

To answer this question, let’s go through the legal framework surrounding militias, what this new bill is specifically trying to outlaw, and the central question of whether you—as an American citizen—can go ahead and form your own militia today. Join host Roman Balmakov on this week’s episode of Facts Matter.