1. United States
2. Calif.
3. Letter

​I am writing to urge you to formally support the State of Minnesota's right to re-establish the Minnesota State Guard and to ensure our own state’s defense forces are robust and ready. ​Under both Federal and State law, the right to a "State-only" military force is not just a theory—it is a legal reality. 32 U.S.C. § 109(c) explicitly authorizes states to maintain troops that "may not be called, ordered, or drafted into the armed forces." Minnesota law is equally clear: MN Statute § 190.06 defines the "State Guard" as a distinct part of the organized militia, and MN Statute § 191.06 grants the Governor the power to organize it whenever the National Guard is federalized or state defense is at risk. ​Minnesota is not alone in this. Currently, over 20 other states and territories maintain active State Defense Forces, including: ​Texas (Texas State Guard) ​California (California State Guard) ​New York (New York Guard) ​Florida (Florida State Guard) ​Virginia (Virginia Defense Force) ​These forces provide a critical firewall, ensuring that a Governor always has a disciplined force at their command to protect citizens and infrastructure, regardless of federal mandates or political shifts in Washington D.C.