Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas could face impeachment from Republicans over his handling of the unlawful migrant crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border.
Federal border officials gave testimony before the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability on Tuesday, and Republican congressmen claimed Mayorkas should be removed for allegedly failing to secure the border.
Committee Chair James Comer (R-KY) has previously been very critical of Mayorkas and referred to him as “a prime candidate for impeachment,” according to CNN.
In a statement to the New York Times, Comer said, “The situation at the southern border is dangerous and chaotic, and Secretary Mayorkas must be held accountable for failing to uphold his responsibility to secure the southern border.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy would need to declare a formal impeachment inquiry in order for the impeachment process to proceed.
However, the White House has defended Mayorkas and blamed Republicans for the border crisis, saying they have blocked President Biden’s immigration legislation.
“Secretary Mayorkas has worked against immeasurable odds to lead the Department of Homeland Security out of the depths of the prior administration’s chaos, cruelty and dysfunction to deliver real, lasting, and meaningful reform,” said White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, according to the New York Times.
President Biden’s focus on the border was defended by White House spokesperson Abdullah Hasan, who said one of the first things he did as the president was proposed legislation to reform immigration and has asked Congress several times to pass the bill.
“We’re not going to engage in political grandstanding like Republicans in Congress,” Hasan claimed, as reported by the New York Times. “We’re focused on doing the actual work and driving toward real solutions.”
Biden’s national security advisor, Jake Sullivan, reportedly said that Mayorkas finds himself being pulled between opposing factions of White House advisors — those who advocate for stricter enforcement of immigration laws and those who advocate in favor of migrants.
“No one is more focused on doing their job,” he said, referring to Mayorkas. “It’s one of the toughest jobs around. I’m behind him all the way.”
Nevertheless, a historic number of unlawful migrants have continued to cross the southern border, leading Texas lawmakers to call for the state to act, as reported by The Dallas Express.