Could a state pass a law banning the operations of Blackwater

[pnwmom]

or other mercenaries within its borders? Or are they considered just another security company? Or does Federal law apply?

[Mist]

1. Possibly on the basis of not knowing from whence the authority of companies

like Blackwater originates? A state has the right (as do all citizens) to know the chain of legal responsibility in a company.

[Demeter]

2. Good Angle!

There are a lot of State's Rights dodges that could be employed, too, no doubt.

[Ganja Ninja]

3. My guess is they could stop them from working as private ...

security but they could not stop them if they were sworn in as federal officers of some kind.

[Xithras]

4. Depends.

If BW forces were federally deputized, then the answer would be no.

Short of that, states can pass any laws they want to regulate private security forces. If a state really wanted to prohibit a Blackwater type company, they could just pass a law limiting the number of armed employees within a corporation, prohibit corporations from owning aircraft with live weapons attached, or something like that. They couldn't ban Blackwater outright (that would be illegal), but they could ban the business methods that they operate under.