WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – The House of Representatives seems ready to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.
Republicans say Mayorkas isn’t enforcing immigration laws and blame him for a surge of migrants at the southern border.
House speaker Mike Johnson says it’s time.
“There is no other measure for Congress to take but this one,” said Johnson.
House Republicans, like Pennsylvania Congressman Dan Meuser, claim the secretary’s actions caused the surge of immigrants at the U.S.-Mexico border.
“The man is deliberately not enforcing laws passed by Congress. So, what are we supposed to do? Just sit back and say, ah, it’s ok?” said Meuser.
Texas Republican Congressman Chip Roy says the secretary is ignoring current immigration laws.
“It’s literally his job to secure the homeland, and he’s refusing to do it,” Roy stated.
Massachusetts Democratic Congressman Jim McGovern argued Republicans haven’t made their case and says this impeachment process has kept the House from working on actual immigration reform.
“I would say it’s a clown show, but that would be a disservice to actual working clowns,” said McGovern.
Even if the impeachment vote made its way out of the House, it is unlikely to make any progress in the Senate.
A cabinet secretary hasn’t faced impeachment charges since 1876, and it’s the first time a sitting secretary is being impeached. 148 years ago, Secretary of War William Belknap resigned just before the vote.
