Staff Reports
House Republicans took a bold step by impeaching Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas in a closely contested vote, making it the first time in nearly 150 years that a Cabinet member has faced such action. After persistent efforts, Republicans managed to secure a narrow 214-213 vote to pass two articles of impeachment against Mayorkas, who assumed leadership of the department's 260,000 workers in February 2021.
Leading the charge in the impeachment charges against Mayorkas was the outspoken Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. She cited his deliberate and systematic refusal to comply with the law and his mishandling of the border crisis as grounds for impeachment. Greene did not hold back during her passionate speech, accusing Mayorkas of aiding and abetting the invasion of the country by criminals, gang members, terrorists, murderers, rapists, and over 10 million people from over 160 countries into American communities.
The GOP has been unwavering in their pursuit of Mayorkas's impeachment, having introduced articles against him twice before and conducting over 15 border-related hearings since regaining control of the House in 2023. They closely examined Mayorkas's actions, focusing on how his decisions had empowered cartels, the human toll, fiscal implications, and the government's response to illegal immigration and drug smuggling, which they considered wasteful and abusive.
Despite the Department of Homeland Security's attempts to discredit the Republicans' approach to impeachment, labeling it as baseless and futile, the Republicans remained steadfast. They argued that although Mayorkas had not committed a statutory crime, he had misused parole programs to admit illegal immigrants in large numbers, going against the intention of the law.
On the other hand, Democrats questioned the motives behind the impeachment, accusing Republicans of staging a politically motivated spectacle during an election year over mere differences in immigration opinions. However, the Democrats' arguments did not sway the Republicans.
