Republicans at the House hearing criticized Mayorkas, accusing him of criminal actions.

Mayorkas Dismantled by Republicans at House Hearing: ‘This Makes Your Actions Criminal’

Homeland ⁤Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas faced a barrage of criticism Wednesday from House​ Republicans⁣ who, in recent months, have floated impeaching him over his dereliction of duty in ‌securing the southern border.

Mayorkas’ appearance before the House Judiciary Committee comes as ‌the Biden administration’s immigration policies are ​facing legal attacks from across the political spectrum.

“I know that today Secretary Mayorkas is ‍going to try⁢ to paint ​a rosy picture of this disastrous ⁤mismanagement of our border,” Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan, the Republican chair of the Judiciary Committee, ​said ‌in his opening statement. “But the⁤ numbers don’t ‌lie.”

Jordan and other Republicans attributed the sudden⁢ falloff⁢ in migrant crossing to a⁢ new Biden administration asylum policy that allows migrants to use a Customs and Border Patrol app when seeking asylum. The new technology is attempting to streamline the asylum process by⁤ allowing more people — on average 1,400‍ a day — to get an appointment ⁣through the app before appearing at a​ U.S. port of entry with an asylum claim.

“That’s ⁣why the numbers are dropping,” Republican Rep. Tom ⁣McClintock of California said.

Mayorkas pushed ⁢back‍ on the GOP line of questioning and defended his department, which employs more than 260,000 people.

“Our approach to managing the borders securely and ⁤humanely — even within our fundamentally broken ⁢immigration system — is‌ working,” Mayorkas said.

The secretary said illegal border crossings have been falling since the ​peak that came before Title 42, a public health law allowing‌ curbs on migration in the name of protecting public ⁣health.‌ The policy ‍was instituted under ‍former President Donald Trump in March 2020 ‍as part of an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The Biden administration ended Title 42 in May.

Since then, total encounters along ‌the southern​ border — meaning migrants who either came to one‍ of the ports of entry or tried⁣ to cross between them — were down 30 percent in June compared with the previous month. ‌DHS said⁢ it ​was the lowest ⁣monthly total since February 2021.

The Biden administration has⁢ said the‍ asylum rule was a ⁣key⁢ part‍ of its ⁣strategy to strike a balance between strict border enforcement‌ and ensuring several avenues for migrants to pursue valid ⁤asylum claims.

And the ⁣secretary implored Congress on Wednesday to join his department and work as “partners” in creating long-term, ‍sustainable⁤ solutions to what both sides agree is a flawed​ immigration system.

But Republicans zeroed in on the influx of fentanyl into the country, blaming Mayorkas for the number of overdoses that have ⁤happened across American communities⁣ in the past several years.

“The⁢ fentanyl ‌ killing thousands of Americans every year is a direct result‌ of your dereliction,” GOP Rep. Ken ⁣Buck of Colorado said. “When⁤ people die of fentanyl poisoning, it ⁢is your fault.”

The agency, Mayorkas responded, ​has stopped nearly 10,000⁣ pounds of fentanyl from ⁤entering ⁤the country last year, leading to more than ‌280 arrests.

Democrats pressed ​Mayorkas on ​how fentanyl is getting into the U.S. and spreading⁤ across the country. He said much of ‌the smuggling is done by ​Americans.

“I believe the data suggests that approximately 70 percent of the people who‌ are⁣ arrested are U.S. ‌citizens,” Mayorkas testified.

But Republicans insisted Mayorkas ⁣is broadly responsible for deaths from fentanyl, despite those factors.

“In my mind, this makes your actions criminal,” Republican Rep. Jeff Van Drew‌ of New Jersey said. “Secretary Mayorkas you must resign. Will ⁣you resign?”​ Mayorkas said he would not.

Van Drew replied that it “leaves⁢ us with no other option: You should be impeached.”

Republicans proposed impeaching Mayorkas well before they won the ⁣House majority last November. This year, Jordan and the GOP chairman of the ⁢Homeland Security Committee, Rep. Mark⁤ Green of Tennessee, have been conducting a multi-step investigation into the situation at the southern border.

The⁤ Western Journal has reviewed this Associated Press ⁣story and may have ‍altered it ⁢prior to ⁤publication to ensure that it meets our editorial standards.

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