PRIA Logo™
Take the PRIA Score
Title 10 — Armed ForcesRelease 119-73

§253 Interference with State and Federal law

Title 10 › Subtitle Subtitle A— - General Military Law › Part PART I— - ORGANIZATION AND GENERAL MILITARY POWERS › Chapter CHAPTER 13— - INSURRECTION › § 253

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The President must use the militia, the armed forces, or other means to put down an insurrection, major domestic violence, or unlawful conspiracy in a State when either: (1) the disorder keeps state and federal laws from being enforced so some people lose a constitutional right and state officials cannot or will not protect it; or (2) the unrest resists or blocks enforcement of U.S. laws or interferes with federal justice.

Full Legal Text

Title 10, §253

Armed Forces — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

The President, by using the militia or the armed forces, or both, or by any other means, shall take such measures as he considers necessary to suppress, in a State, any insurrection, domestic violence, unlawful combination, or conspiracy, if it—
(1)so hinders the execution of the laws of that State, and of the United States within the State, that any part or class of its people is deprived of a right, privilege, immunity, or protection named in the Constitution and secured by law, and the constituted authorities of that State are unable, fail, or refuse to protect that right, privilege, or immunity, or to give that protection; or
(2)opposes or obstructs the execution of the laws of the United States or impedes the course of justice under those laws.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised sectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 33350:203.R.S. 5299. The words “armed forces” are substituted for the words “land or naval forces of the United States”. The word “shall” is substituted for the words “it shall be lawful for * * * and it shall be his duty”. DerivationAct Apr. 20, 1871, ch. 22, § 3, 17 Stat. 14.

Editorial Notes

Codification Another section 253 was renumbered section 240c of this title.

Amendments

2016—Pub. L. 114–328 renumbered section 333 of this title as this section. 2008—Pub. L. 110–181 amended section generally, substituting provisions directing the President to suppress certain insurrections and domestic violence in a State for provisions authorizing the President to employ the armed forces during a natural disaster or terrorist attack or to suppress an insurrection in a State and requiring notice to Congress during the exercise of such authority. 2006—Pub. L. 109–364 amended section catchline and text generally, substituting provisions authorizing the President to employ the armed forces during a natural disaster or terrorist attack or to suppress an insurrection in a State and requiring notice to Congress during the exercise of such authority for provisions directing the President to suppress certain insurrections and domestic violence in a State.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2008 Amendment Pub. L. 110–181, div. A, title X, § 1068(d), Jan. 28, 2008, 122 Stat. 326, provided that: “The

Amendments

made by this section [amending this section and section 334 and 12304 of this title and repealing section 2567 of this title] shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act [Jan. 28, 2008].”

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

10 U.S.C. § 253

Title 10 — Armed Forces

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73