WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – House Republicans continue to move toward impeaching Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for failing to secure the southern border.
Democrats argue he hasn’t broken any laws by doing his job and say it’s up to Congress to fix the country’s immigration system.
Republicans introduced the articles this weekend after completing a month’s long investigation into DHS Secretary Mayorkas.
Chairman of the House Homeland Security committee, Tennessee Republican Mark Green says impeaching Mayorkas is the only option.
“Secretary Mayorkas’ actions have forced our hand. We cannot allow this border crisis to continue,” Green said.
House Republicans introduced two articles of impeachment against Mayorkas, accusing President Joe Biden’s top immigration official of violating the law by releasing migrants who are awaiting court proceedings into the U.S. and lying to lawmakers about whether the southern border was secure.
“The failure to secure the border has been so significant, so catastrophic, so egregious that congress must now use its power to provide accountability,” said Rep. August Pfluger, (R-Texas)
Democrats called the entire impeachment proceedings a political stunt. California Democrat Robert Garcia says Republicans’ accusations are not impeachable offenses.
“This is a complete sham impeachment,” said Garcia.
Mayorkas, who didn’t attend Tuesday’s hearing, defended himself in a letter to the committee, calling the impeachment proceedings against him “baseless” and the allegations “false”.
House Speaker Mike Johnson says the House will waste no time moving the impeachment forward, promising a vote on the House floor “as soon as possible”.
