June 29, 2025

Gosar Introduces Legislation Safeguarding Rail Shipments

This week, I introduced H.R. 4092, the Protect Railroads Against Illegal Looters (RAIL) Act, legislation safeguarding interstate and foreign freight shipments by clarifying that aliens who are convicted of offenses under 18 U.S.C. § 659, are inadmissible for entry into the United States and are deportable.

You may not be aware that in recent weeks there have been several cases of cargo trains being hijacked in Arizona, allegedly by operatives of the Sinaloa cartel. The assailants use bolt cutters and saws to break into the boxcars to steal goods such as high-end sneakers, electronics and power tools. These thefts pose a serious and growing threat to public safety, national security and economic stability in the southwestern United States.  In fact, these gangs have been staging the operations in a vast stretch of land between California and Arizona.

Aliens, including illegal ones, convicted of stealing goods moving as an interstate shipment should be deemed inadmissible for entry and should be removed from the United States.  Click here to read more about this important legislation.

ZERO Illegal Aliens Released into the United States Last Month

I bet you didn’t read this in the Fake News this week: Border Patrol agents didn’t release a single migrant into the United States last month.  ZERO.  For perspective, in May 2024, 117,905 lawbreakers crossed the southern border. This is a staggering drop after the Biden administration welcomed nearly 20 million lawbreakers into our country over the past four years.  Clearly, this is a direct result of President Trump’s tough border policies.

Supreme Court Reigns in Democrat Activists Posing as Judges

I previously discussed my concerns about abusive federal judges acting as front-line activists for the democrat party and voted in favor of H.R. 1526, the No Rogue Rulings Act, legislation limiting the ability of woke, activist federal district court judges to block President Trump’s agenda.

I am happy to report that a majority of the Supreme Court justices agreed with me and ruled this week that the federal judges attempting to veto Republican policies, and Presidential Executive Orders, are acting illegally.

Let’s give this some context: unable to win at the ballot box, Democrats have turned to liberal, woke activist judges to block or stall President Trump’s America First agenda.  In fact, nearly all of President Trump’s substantive executive orders have been blocked by these Democrat federal judges.  Democrats,  far-left NGOs and other far-left legal groups focused on suing President Trump for every major executive order he signed.  They shopped for a judge consumed with far-left ideologies, and then obtained court orders, or nationwide injunctions, stopping the President.

In short, these unelected activist judges, appointed by Democrats, stopped the President of the United States (who was elected by nearly 78 million people from fulfilling his campaign promises and using his executive powers in the same manner every other president did.  Prior to President Trump, nationwide injunctions were very rare and used during national emergencies.  In fact, since being elected, President Trump has been the victim of more nationwide injunctions in his first few months of his presidency than were issued by the courts in the previous 50 years.

Finally, the Supreme Court put an end to this abuse of our constitution and our Republic in Trump v. CASA, Inc.   In a significant ruling on judicial authority, the U.S. Supreme Court limited the power of federal courts to issue sweeping “universal” injunctions, concluding they likely exceed what Congress authorized. The decision stems from lawsuits challenging President Donald J. Trump’s Executive Order No. 14160, which restricts birthright citizenship for certain U.S.-born children. This executive order ended the fraud of birthright citizenship, a misguided policy never adopted by Congress and not part of the Constitution.  The 6–3 decision in Trump v. CASA, Inc. centered not on the constitutionality of the executive order itself, but on the scope of the relief granted by lower courts. Those courts had issued broad injunctions blocking the executive order nationwide.

The left, who see birthright citizenship as an inducement to everyone in the world to come here, have a child, and then stay here forever, voting in our elections, and expending our social benefits.  President Trump ended this abuse and fraud on the American people, but the far left immediately sued and got an activist, democrat judge to “enjoin” (ie: stop) the order across the entire country.   The judge ordered that Trump’s exercise of his constitutional powers would be stopped everywhere, immediately, without a trial, without a hearing and without evidence.

The Supreme Court had to step in or the federal judiciary would be ignored, mocked and relegated to the sidelines. The Supreme Court explained that under the Judiciary Act of 1789, the federal courts had jurisdiction over “all suits in equity” (which is what an injunction is part of), but held that this did not give the federal courts executive power, veto power over 80 million people, and it did not create a shadow presidency with unelected democrat judges.  The Court limited injunctions to providing relief only to the parties to the suit, i.e., the plaintiffs, not 340 million Americans. In the 6-3 decision, the majority of justices explained that “federal courts do not exercise general oversight of the Executive Branch; they resolve cases and controversies consistent with the authority Congress has given them.”  This puts an end to the leftists who claim unelected judges get to “check” or overrule elected officials,like the President of the United States.

This was the correct decision, and one desperately needed to save the credibility of the federal courts.  It is worth noting that Biden DEI appointee Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson argued in dissent that federal judges can essentially do whatever they want, the law be damned.  She argued for an “imperial judiciary” that could rule supreme over the executive branch and Congress.  Justice Jackson was openly mocked by the majority of justices, for being unable to understand the law, the Constitution and the Judiciary Act of 1789, which Jackson ridiculously called a “mind-numbingly technical query.”

If the law is “mind-numbing” to her, Justice Jackson proved herself to be unqualified for the job.  The majority also noted that Jackson’s claim for an “imperial judiciary” with complete power over all branches of government and the American people so deranged that “even the most ardent defender of judicial supremacy [would] blush” at the audacity.  The Court then noted that Jackson’s opinion was “at odds with more than two centuries’ worth of precedent, not to mention the Constitution itself. We observe only this: JUSTICE JACKSON decries an imperial Executive while embracing an imperial Judiciary.”

Thank God the Supreme Court has reigned in this out-of-control lawfare.

Trump Ushers in Peace in the Middle East

I support President Trump’s decision to take limited yet decisive action against the Iranian nuclear program.  For months, President Trump set out to negotiate with Iran as a good-faith measure to avoid war in the region while consistently warning of the dangers posed by Iran’s unchecked nuclear ambitions.

President Trump has been consistent: Iran must never be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon. This is a non-negotiable red line that Iran has repeatedly ignored.  Sadly, Iran has been slow walking the Trump administration, having rejected President Trump’s diplomatic solutions while continuing its nuclear program.

President Trump’s principled decision to dismantle the Iranian nuclear program is profoundly in America’s interests. A nuclear-armed Iran would pose a grave danger to U.S. forces across the region, trigger a regional nuclear arms race, and pose an existential threat to our most reliable ally, Israel.

 

These military operations underscore why American strength and clarity on the world stage matter now more than ever and should serve as a clear reminder to our adversaries and allies that President Trump means what he says. I am deeply grateful to our brave men and women in uniform who conducted this mission and I am equally grateful that Iran and Israel have now agreed to a ceasefire. Thanks to President Trump’s decisive action to strike Iranian nuclear facilities, Americans and the world are safer.

It’s Mail Time!

📬 I receive hundreds of letters each week and I appreciate hearing from everyone.  Here are a few recent letters and my response:

📨 Stephanie D. from Goodyear, AZ wrote:

Members of Congress must stand united against the authoritarian suppression exemplified by Senator Alex Padilla’s unjust detention. His rightful attempt to seek accountability from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on the crucial issue of immigration enforcement should not have been met with physical restraint and silencing.

This disturbing event lays bare the Trump administration’s escalating disregard for democratic oversight and its willingness to use force to stifle dissent. Senator Padilla’s questioning represented the People’s voice demanding answers on policies that profoundly impact immigrant communities, workers, and all Americans. By handcuffing him for simply doing his constitutional duty, this administration has crossed a dangerous line – from combative rhetoric to overt suppression of democratic accountability.

This watershed moment calls for unwavering resistance to authoritarianism. Democratic principles must be vigorously upheld through renewed resolve and unity across the aisle. As representatives of the People, Congress cannot allow such a blatant breach of democratic norms to be normalized. Senator Padilla’s courageous defiance in the face of injustice exemplifies the fearless defense of civil liberties that the moment demands. Stand firm against the rising tide of autocracy.

Uphold your sworn duty to provide oversight and accountability. Defend the right to freely question authority without threat of forcible silencing. The American people are watching, and history will judge harshly any complacency in the face of encroaching tyranny. Heed Senator Padilla’s rallying cry – resist openly and relentlessly to safeguard democracy.

✍ Stephanie, as your letter alludes, on June 12, California Senator Alex Padilla was forcibly removed from a Department of Homeland Security press conference after shouting questions and aggressively approaching Secretary Kristi Noem while she was speaking.

While it is certainly unusual for a Senator to be handcuffed by federal agents, the facts of the case show that the actions were in response to Senator Padilla’s aggressive intrusion at the press conference. The press conference was not open to the public. Yet Padilla, wearing no identification, barged in, aggressively approached Secretary Noem, and began shouting questions at her. Only after federal officers stopped him from approaching closer did he identify himself as a Senator. Furthermore, he continued to resist removal and pushed back against the Secret Service. 

This was obviously a stunt. If Padilla had wished to ask the Secretary questions, he could have done so the way all other official business is conducted: request a meeting. However, he did not, as that was not the goal. Instead, the goal was to create a political scandal and then play victim, which the American public is not buying.  Don’t just take it from me. Anthony Cangelosi, a former Secret Service agent, said, “The facts and circumstances of him resisting the officers makes their use of force legitimate.” Consequently, I believe that Padilla’s act was wrong, and he deserved the consequences, as law enforcement officers were doing their job.

It’s interesting to note, Stephanie, that you state that I should  “Defend the right to freely question authority without threat of forcible silencing.”  Just a few short years ago your side of the aisle forcibly stopped people, including me, from “questioning authority” about COVID and the COVID vaccine.  People were fired from their jobs, barred from hospitals and schools, barred from travel, lost their medical license and otherwise punished for rightfully “questioning authority.”  The main difference between our way of questioning authority and Senator Padilla is that we did not use theater, force, threaten force, or act belligerently. 

📨 James S. from Dolan Springs, AZ sent:

I was dismayed to learn that Congress is once again considering including selloffs of public lands in budget reconciliation, including places around the American and Yuba Rivers as well as Lake Tahoe and Mammoth.

I wholeheartedly oppose any attempt to take away my access to places like Lover’s Leap, Hope Valley, Fallen Leaf Lake, Emerald Bay and other areas I love. I urge you to demand that public lands not be included in budget reconciliation and reject any budget that sells off public lands. 

✍ James, I have often stated that America’s public lands should be for the public and the federal government has numerous reasons to promote the highest use of public lands. Importantly, public access, sportsmanship, grazing, and tourism are all connected to our public lands. There is a process for making sure that our lands are being used for the best benefit of the people and I have consistently opposed large-scale policies that convert public land into exclusive-use zones with no meaningful protections for recreation access. 

 

At the time of this writing, you will be pleased to know that Senator Lee’s proposal to make certain federal lands eligible to be sold was deemed to be non-compliant with Senate parliamentarian rules and is currently not in the final budget reconciliation bill. 

Rather than using public lands as a bargaining chip in budget negotiations, as Senator Lee’s proposal did, I strongly believe Congress must first engage in robust debate, conduct public hearings and consider testimony from all interested parties, including local stakeholders, long before any legislation is enacted. 

Tweet of the Week:

Photo of the Week:

📸 Daniel Hagen from Payson, AZ shares this picture he snapped from his paddle board of a juvenile bald eagle very well-camouflaged in the rocks.  Very cool.  Thanks for sharing, Daniel.

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.

Gosar in the News and Other Must-Read Stories:

📰 E&E News: Unlikely champion notches green energy win in megabill

🗞 New York Post: Border agents didn’t release a single illegal migrant into the US last month — down from 62K under Biden

📰 Newsweek: Man Deported After Kicking Customs Dog into the Air

🗞 Fox Business News: GE Appliances to move washing machine production from China to USA in $490M investment

📰 National Pulse: ICE Nets 130 Iranians in a Week.

⚠ 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.