House Republicans’ Attempt to Impeach Mayorkas Fails
House Republicans Fail to Impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas
On Tuesday, House Republicans were unable to gather enough support to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas over his handling of a border crisis filled with illegal crossings and drug trafficking.
Despite three GOP lawmakers breaking ranks and joining all voting Democrats, the resolution fell short by just one vote. Republican defectors included Reps. Ken Buck (R-CO), Tom McClintock (R-CA), and Mike Gallagher (R-WI).
House GOP Vice Chairman Blake Moore (R-UT) reportedly switched his vote at the last moment, giving Republicans another chance to bring up the impeachment resolution in the future.
Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) was absent due to undergoing a stem cell transplant for his battle against blood cancer. Rep. Al Green (D-TX) showed up just in time to cast a “no” vote against impeachment.
Mayorkas faced two articles of impeachment, accusing him of refusing to comply with federal immigration laws and breaching the public trust. House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mark Green (R-TN) led the investigation and urged his colleagues to hold Mayorkas accountable.
Democrats criticized the impeachment proceedings as a political stunt, while the White House claimed it was unconstitutional. Mayorkas pushed back against the accusations, and some of his DHS predecessors voiced opposition to impeachment.
Even if the impeachment push succeeded in the House, it faced slim chances in the Democrat-controlled Senate. However, House Republicans approved a rule designating 11 managers in anticipation of a trial.
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While acknowledging problems with border security, GOP lawmakers who opposed impeachment argued that their issues with the Biden administration’s handling of the crisis were policy differences rather than impeachable offenses.
“The only way to stop the border invasion is to replace the Biden administration at the ballot box. Swapping one leftist for another is a fantasy, solves nothing, excuses Biden’s culpability, and unconstitutionally expands impeachment that someday will bite Republicans,” McClintock said.
As the impeachment effort came to a halt, a bipartisan Senate bill combining border security reforms with funds for Ukraine, Israel, and other foreign causes faced potential defeat. The $118 billion package, which Mayorkas helped assemble, received backlash from many Republicans and a commitment from House GOP leadership not to bring it up for a vote.
House Republicans also continue their corruption-focused impeachment investigation into President Joe Biden.
What were the allegations made against Mayorkas in the impeachment resolution, and how did Republicans claim his policies and directives worsened the situation at the border?
Law and neglecting his duty to secure the border. House Republicans argued that Mayorkas’s inaction and failure to address the escalating crisis at the southern border exemplified his incompetence as the head of the Department of Homeland Security.
The resolution presented by House Republicans highlighted numerous instances where Mayorkas failed to enforce immigration laws, resulting in a surge of illegal crossings and drug trafficking. They alleged that his policies and directives further exacerbated the already dire situation at the border. Republicans contended that the chaos and insecurity caused by Mayorkas’s mishandling of the border crisis posed a threat to national security and warranted his removal from office.
Despite the support of three Republican lawmakers crossing party lines to vote with Democrats, the impeachment resolution fell short by just one vote. This margin of defeat exposed the divisions within the Republican Party on the issue. Representatives Ken Buck, Tom McClintock, and Mike Gallagher defected from their party and supported the impeachment effort. However, House GOP Vice Chairman Blake Moore unexpectedly changed his vote at the last moment, providing Republicans with another opportunity to bring up the impeachment resolution in the future.
The absence of Majority Leader Steve Scalise, who was undergoing a stem cell transplant for his battle against blood cancer, likely had an impact on the outcome. Scalise’s absence deprived Republicans of a key vote and placed additional pressure on party members to maintain party unity. Meanwhile, the timely arrival of Representative Al Green, a Democrat from Texas, allowed him to cast a crucial “no” vote against impeachment.
The failed impeachment attempt against Mayorkas does not diminish the concerns raised by House Republicans regarding his handling of the border crisis. With illegal crossings and drug trafficking at alarming levels, the need for effective leadership and decisive action is of paramount importance. Republicans, aiming to hold the Biden administration accountable for its perceived failures on immigration, may continue their efforts to impeach Mayorkas in the future.
The outcome of this impeachment vote underscores the challenges faced by House Republicans as they attempt to advance their agenda and address the concerns of their constituents. It highlights the delicate balance between party unity and the sometimes divergent interests and opinions within the party. As the issue of border security continues to be a divisive one in American politics, it remains to be seen how House Republicans will navigate this landscape and if they will be successful in their endeavor to hold Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas accountable for his actions.
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