Beginning May 7, 2025, all U.S. travelers 18 years and older that plan to fly domestically or visit certain federal facilities will need a REAL ID or another acceptable form of identification.
The REAL ID Act, passed by Congress in 2005, enacted the 9/11 Commission’s recommendation that the Federal Government “set standards for the issuance of sources of identification, such as driver’s licenses and identification cards.” The Act and implementing regulations establish minimum security standards for license issuance and production and prohibit federal agencies from accepting for certain official purposes noncompliant driver’s licenses and identification cards.
How do you know if you have a REAL ID? The Arizona Real ID has a gold or black star in the top right corner.
If you do not have a REAL ID, you will need to present a valid U.S. passport, even for domestic travel. This is a friendly reminder to stop by your local Arizona Motor Vehicle Division office to update your identification. Click this link for more information about REAL ID.
The Roosevelt Reservation on the Border Is Now Active
President Trump recently issued an executive order reactivating the Roosevelt Reservation, a 60-foot-wide strip of federally owned land along the U.S.-Mexico border in California, Arizona, and New Mexico. It was originally established in 1907 by President Theodore Roosevelt as a buffer zone to keep the border area “free from obstruction” and discourage smuggling across the boundary. With this action, President Trump has taken another major step to stop the flow of illegal immigration, drug trafficking and human trafficking into Arizona.
The order directs the U.S. military to assume jurisdiction over the Roosevelt Reservation, effectively turning this long-unused border strip into an active military installation for border defense.
What this means is that our military can now use that 60-foot border stretch to build barriers, set up surveillance equipment, and carry out security operations. In short, the border is now under military control and it’s long overdue.
By placing the Roosevelt Reservation under Department of Defense control, the executive order modifies its purpose from a merely reserved space into a fully utilized defensive zone aimed at bolstering border protection.
For Arizona, which shares a 370-mile border with Mexico, this move is especially significant because large portions of our borderlands are remote desert and rugged terrain that have long been exploited by drug cartels and human traffickers for illicit crossings for decades.
By giving the military a direct role in securing Arizona’s border, the plan helps close gaps and provide a stronger deterrent against these threats. Troops working in tandem with Border Patrol agents will be able to patrol and monitor the border reservation around the clock, making it far more difficult for smugglers to move people or narcotics across undetected. Arizona has been a major hot spot for illicit drug entry. In fact, by 2024, about 66% of all fentanyl seized entering the U.S. was being caught in Arizona, highlighting how heavily cartels have targeted our state. The overall effect of President Trump’s new order is expected to create a safer Arizona border.
President Trump’s executive action is grounded on the fact that the border crisis created by Joe Biden constitutes an “invasion” that warrants military involvement. The U.S. Constitution’s Article IV, Section 4, known as the “Guarantee Clause” obligates the federal government to protect each state from invasion.
In line with this constitutional duty, President Trump asserted his authority as Commander-in-Chief to deploy the military for homeland defense at the border. Early in 2025, he had already declared a national emergency at the southern border and issued orders assigning the Armed Forces the mission of “repelling [an] invasion and sealing the United States southern border from unlawful entry.”
This latest executive order builds on that by giving concrete instructions for using federal lands as a military buffer zone. This order is supported by existing law: a statute (43 U.S.C. § 155) was invoked to allow the swift withdrawal of public lands for national defense purposes.
This approach also means that anyone unlawfully crossing into that 60-foot strip can be treated as trespassing on U.S. military property, allowing troops to detain them consistent with federal law. Actions like this to protect us and help illustrate why nearly 80 million Americans voted for President Trump last November.
Camp Mohave Elementary School Recognized as Top School in America
Congratulations to Camp Mohave Elementary School in Fort Mohave, AZ for advancing to the medal round in the 2025 America’s Best Schools competition. Recognized as an A+ School of Excellence and in the top 5% of schools in Arizona, it comes as no surprise that Camp Mohave would earn this honor. Three schools will be designated as bronze, silver, or gold-level winners and will receive cash prizes of $1,000, $2,500, or $5,000 respectively. The winning schools will be announced in May.📚🍎🎒
Team Gosar Recognizes Lake Havasu Quality of Life Treatment Graduates
This week, my amazing staff took time to recognize the recent graduates who successfully completed the Lake Havasu Justice Court’s Quality of Life Treatment Program, a drug diversion treatment program funded by the Arizona Opioid Settlement funds. Special thanks to Mohave County Justice Court Judge Pro Tempore Mark Marnati and Kimberly Zanon, who serves as the coordinator and peer support for the Lake Havasu Justice Court’s Quality of Life Treatment Program. We are grateful for your service and dedication to our community.
Do You Need Help?
If you need assistance with a federal agency or simply have a question, I’m here to help. Oftentimes my office can cut through the red tape to get answers for you and even help you get the benefits you have earned. Please contact my district office at 623-707-0530. Don’t hesitate to reach out!
Final Reminder: Gosar Hosts Upcoming Military Academy Day
Are you or someone you know interested in attending one of the United States Service Academies? If so, high school Juniors, Seniors and parents: you are invited to attend my upcoming Military Academy Day to learn more about how to receive a congressional nomination to a United States military service academy. Members of Congress may nominate candidates for appointment to four of the five U.S. service academies—the U.S. Military Academy, U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Air Force Academy, and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. The honor of attending a service academy comes with the obligation and commitment to serve in the military for a minimum of five years upon graduation. Details are in the flyer above. 👆 Don’t forget to RSVP. I hope to see you there!
It’s Mail Time!
📬 I received a few hundred letters this week regarding U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. so I thought I would use this space in my newsletter to respond!
📨 Let me step back and remind readers that Secretary Kennedy assumed his position at HHS with two primary goals: curb the chronic disease epidemic and unleash sound, unbiased medical research. In fact, during his Senate confirmation hearings this past January, Secretary Kennedy spoke very openly about his goals.
The Secretary has opened an investigation into the causes of autism; taken on the loopholes that food companies use to sneak poisonous additives into our foods; and most importantly modeled health for our citizens at a time when our young people have never had fewer examples to turn to in their everyday lives.
There is a chronic disease epidemic in our country, and Americans deserve answers as to why. Not too long ago, heart disease was a footnote, autism was exceptionally rare and morbid obesity was of little concern.
Fast forward to today and America’s nosedive in health can be traced to decisions made by an oblivious, arrogant, or perhaps even malignant ruling class and pharmaceutical industry that simply does not have Americans’ best interest and health at heart. This is changing with Secretary Kennedy’s HHS.
As Secretary Kennedy continues to pursue his task of ending chronic disease and unleashing sound science, I look forward to finding ways that Congress can collaborate to curb the spread of diseases, autoimmune issues, neurodevelopmental disorders, and other side effects of our polluted, toxic environment. As a former medical professional, I take public health seriously and support the Secretary’s “Make America Healthy Again” mission!
Tweet of the Week:
Photo of the Week:
📸 Gretchen Monthie from Goodyear, AZ sent it this amazing photo of two-week-old hummingbird babies from a tree in her backyard. Very cool picture, Gretchen! Thanks for sharing it.
Do you want the chance for your photograph to be featured as our “Picture of the Week?” If so, send your best shots along with a brief description to Anthony.foti@mail.house.gov. Remember to include your name and where you live.
⚠ Warning!! The Gosar Weekly Newsletter is meant for discerning readers with above average intelligence. We link to interesting stories. We get stories a couple different ways: Google alerts, a third-party aggregator and sometimes readers send stuff. We don’t vouch for every publication or every author. If we link to a story, it is because of that story. The views expressed in any of the publications do not represent any promotion, endorsement or reflection of Congressman Gosar’s views. While we try our best, we cannot guarantee every news organization spouting hatred, animosity or divisiveness will be filtered from appearing in the Gosar Weekly Newsletter. We will endeavor to prevent that from happening by never linking to Fake News organizations including CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, Rolling Stone, the Arizona Republic, the Arizona Mirror, Media Matters or the New Republic.
