Weekly Columns and Op-Eds
Congressman Paul Gosar: Secure borders, secure ballots: the stark choice facing America
Washington,
February 23, 2026
Congressman Paul Gosar: Secure borders, secure ballots: the stark choice facing America By Representative Paul Gosar As President Donald Trump prepares to deliver his upcoming State of the Union address, the contrast in American politics could not be more clear. On one side stands an administration focused on restoring sovereignty, strengthening enforcement, and rebuilding public trust. On the other stands a Democratic Party that has repeatedly chosen obstruction over security — particularly when it comes to the border and election integrity. In recent weeks, that divide has come into sharp focus. After the House passed a bipartisan, full-year funding bill, Democrats blocked funding for the Department of Homeland Security at the eleventh hour, triggering a partial shutdown. The consequences were immediate: TSA agents, Coast Guard members, Secret Service personnel, and FEMA responders forced to work without pay; cybersecurity operations slowed; counterterrorism readiness strained. This was not an unavoidable impasse. It was a deliberate political maneuver. For border states like Arizona, the implications are deeply concerning. Our communities have lived with the consequences of federal inaction — fentanyl pouring across the border, cartel activity expanding, local law enforcement stretched thin, ranchers and families bearing the brunt of chaos. When DHS operations are disrupted, even temporarily, Arizona feels it first. Yet rather than strengthen enforcement, many Democrats appear intent on weakening it. Shutting down Homeland Security to gain leverage over immigration policy sends a dangerous message: that political positioning matters more than border security. For families who have lost loved ones to drug trafficking or crime tied to illegal immigration, that message rings hollow. The same troubling pattern is evident in the debate over election integrity. The SAVE America Act, recently passed by House Republicans, affirms a simple principle: voting is a right of U.S. citizenship. It requires proof of citizenship to register and a government-issued photo ID to vote — safeguards that mirror the requirements Americans meet every day to board a plane, buy alcohol, or conduct routine transactions. These are hardly radical proposals. They are basic measures designed to restore confidence in elections. Yet Democrats overwhelmingly oppose them. After years of unprecedented illegal immigration and documented weaknesses in voter registration systems, public trust demands stronger verification — not looser standards. For a border state like Arizona, where migration pressures and administrative strain intersect, maintaining accurate voter rolls is not theoretical. It is essential to ensuring lawful citizens alone determine electoral outcomes. As President Trump takes the podium for his State of the Union, he will outline an agenda centered on secure borders, economic renewal, and institutional accountability. He will speak of enforcement restored, inflation curbed, energy unleashed, and American strength reasserted at home and abroad. Across the aisle will sit lawmakers who recently forced a shutdown of the agency responsible for homeland security and who continue to resist basic election safeguards. The choice before the country is unmistakable. Secure borders or political brinkmanship. Verified ballots or vulnerable systems. Enforcement of the law or erosion of it. The contrast could not be sharper — and for Arizona, the stakes could not be higher. Paul Gosar represents Arizona's District 9, which includes Lake Havasu City and Mohave County, in the U.S. House of Representatives. |