Republicans in the House of Representatives have set a date to commence impeachment proceedings against Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas.
Mayorkas has been accused of failing to adequately perform the duties of his office following back-to-back years of rising illegal immigration. Data released by Customs and Border Patrol in October found 3.2 million illegal immigrants entered the country during Fiscal Year 2023 – more than both FY 2022, when 2.76 million immigrants entered the U.S. illegally, and FY 2021’s 1.96 million illegal entries.
During its first hearing on Jan. 10, the House Homeland Security Committee will “evaluate the impacts on the country” of Mayorkas’ “failed leadership and his refusal to enforce the laws passed by Congress.”
Republican lawmakers contend that Mayorkas’ tenure as the head of the Department of Homeland Security has led to “unprecedented cartel control of the Southwest border” and “the waste and abuse of taxpayer dollars.”
“For almost three years, the American people have demanded an end to the unprecedented crisis at the Southwest border, and they have also rightly called for Congress to hold accountable those responsible,” said Chairman Mark. E. Green of Tennessee in a statement on Jan. 3. “That’s why the House Committee on Homeland Security led a comprehensive investigation into the causes, costs, and consequences of this crisis.”
“Our investigation made clear that this crisis finds its foundation in Secretary Mayorkas’ decision-making and refusal to enforce the laws passed by Congress, and that his failure to fulfill his oath of office demands accountability,” he said.
The House voted in November to refer the resolution to impeach Mayorkas to the subcommittee after eight Republicans voted alongside House Democrats. The resolution was introduced by Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia.
“How many more Americans have to die while you claim impeachment has to be done the ‘right way?’” wrote the congresswoman in a message on X denouncing the Republicans who opposed her motion to impeach. “My articles have been rotting in committee and now go back on the shelf. Your excuses are pathetic!”
Other efforts to impeach Mayorkas have been led by Congressman Andy Biggs of Arizona.
"The founders said that you have impeachment for high crimes and misdemeanors — that’s constitutional," Biggs said at a press conference in February, per NBC News. "They didn’t say you have to be convicted of a felony. What they said is you have a public official who has violated public trust, and there is nobody who typifies that more in my opinion than Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas."
The Department of Homeland Security has denied any failure on Mayorkas' part.
“There is no valid basis to impeach Secretary Mayorkas, as senior members of the House majority have attested, and this extreme impeachment push is a harmful distraction from our critical national security priorities,” said Mia Ehrenberg, a spokeswoman for the DHS, in a statement to USA Today.
