House Republicans are expeditiously pursuing the impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, alleging his “willful and systematic” refusal to enforce immigration laws. The Homeland Security Committee is set to vote on two articles of impeachment, citing Mayorkas’s handling of border security. As border security emerges as a key issue for the 2024 elections, Republicans are aligning with former President Donald Trump’s tough stance on immigration. Speaker Mike Johnson stated that the House is moving forward with Mayorkas’s impeachment, and a full House vote is anticipated “as soon as possible.”
Mayorkas, a former federal prosecutor, has defended his position, urging House Republicans to collaborate with the Biden administration on U.S.-Mexico border security instead of pursuing impeachment. The move to impeach a Cabinet member over “high crimes and misdemeanors” is rare, and Democrats criticize the proceedings as a “sham.” If the impeachment proceeds, it would be the first of a Cabinet official in almost 150 years, setting a potentially significant precedent for future cases involving civil servants.