WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – House Republicans continue their push to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas who they claim is derelict in his duty to secure the southern border.
In December, as many as 10,000 migrants a day crossed into the U.S. illegally, overrunning border towns, and leaving major U.S. cities like New York and Chicago unable to deal with so many people in their cities illegally.
Today’s hearing in the Homeland Security committee will aim to prove Republicans’ assertion that Mayorkas isn’t upholding U.S. immigration laws.
But impeaching a cabinet secretary is rare, it’s only happened once before over a bribery charge in 1876.
Some Democrats, while unhappy with the border situation say impeachment is not a tool for a dispute over policy disagreement, which does not rise to the level of high crimes and misdemeanors that the constitution lays out.
“This is not a legitimate impeachment. Republicans want to throw political red meat to their base and keep that campaign cash coming,” said Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.)
However, some House Republicans disagree.
“For almost a year the House committee on Homeland Security has conducted a comprehensive investigation into the cause’s costs and consequences of the unprecedented crisis at our southwest border. Our evidence makes it clear Secretary Mayorkas is the architect of the devastation that we have witnessed for nearly three years,” said Rep. Mark Green (R-Tenn.)
It’s unclear whether there would be enough support to actually vote on articles of impeachment against Mayorkas.
