House Republicans will forge ahead with steps to impeach Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas over his handling of the border crisis, a GOP source tells CNN.
In a statement to CNN, a spokesperson for the House Committee on Homeland Security announced the initiation of impeachment proceedings against Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. The committee claims to have conducted a comprehensive investigation into Mayorkas’ handling of the crisis at the Southwest border for nearly a year. Following a bipartisan vote in the House to refer articles of impeachment against the secretary, the committee intends to conduct hearings and address the articles in the coming weeks.
The announcement of impeachment proceedings coincides with immigration emerging as a prominent issue in the 2024 presidential election. Republicans, critical of President Joe Biden’s immigration policies, plan to visit a busy section of the US-Mexico border to highlight their concerns. House Speaker Mike Johnson, along with fellow Republicans, is set to visit the border, prompting accusations from the Biden administration of playing political games instead of focusing on meaningful reforms.
During a CNN interview, Johnson described the situation at the border as a “catastrophe” and criticized the Biden administration for what he perceives as a failure to address the issue adequately. The ongoing dispute between Republicans and the Biden administration over southern border management has culminated in the impeachment proceedings against Secretary Mayorkas, who is responsible for border security. House Republicans will forge
The committee spokesperson assured that hearings would commence next week, aiming to make the public aware of Mayorkas’ alleged misconduct and refusal to enforce the law. The Department of Homeland Security responded, characterizing the impeachment efforts as a baseless political exercise that has already been rejected by members of both parties.
“There is no valid basis to impeach Secretary Mayorkas, as senior members of the House majority have attested, and this extreme impeachment push is a harmful distraction from our critical national security priorities,” DHS spokesperson Mia Ehrenberg said.
“Secretary Mayorkas and the Department of Homeland Security will continue working every day to keep Americans safe.”