The House Committee on Homeland Security will formally begin impeachment proceedings against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.
The first Mayorkas impeachment hearing is set for January 10th.
BREAKING – House committee to formally begin impeachment proceedings against Biden Homeland Security chief Alejandro Mayorkas – CNN
— Insider Paper (@TheInsiderPaper) January 3, 2024
WATCH:
BREAKING REPORT: House Homeland Security Committee to begin FORMAL IMPEACHMENT PROCEEDINGS against Biden’s DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas… pic.twitter.com/9LIy6yvYNw
— Chuck Callesto (@ChuckCallesto) January 3, 2024
Homeland Security Committee Chairman Rep. Mark Green (R-TN) told Fox News Digital that for “almost three years, the American people have demanded an end to the unprecedented crisis at the Southwest border, and they have also rightly called for Congress to hold accountable those responsible.”
“That’s why the House Committee on Homeland Security led a comprehensive investigation into the causes, costs, and consequences of this crisis,” Green said.
“Our investigation made clear that this crisis finds its foundation in Secretary Mayorkas’ decision-making and refusal to enforce the laws passed by Congress, and that his failure to fulfill his oath of office demands accountability,” he continued.
“I’m proud to have led the charge to IMPEACH Secretary Mayorkas for months in the House of Representatives. Before the House left Washington for Christmas break, I forced a vote on my impeachment resolution that put every member on the record. Unfortunately, some Republicans joined every single Democrat to block the resolution and save Mayorkas’s job,” Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) said.
“I reintroduced my resolution the very next week and pulled it only once I was guaranteed we would impeach Mayorkas in January. Well, I’m happy to report that the first official impeachment hearing for Secretary Mayorkas will be taking place next Wednesday!” she added.
WATCH:
I’m proud to have led the charge to IMPEACH Secretary Mayorkas for months in the House of Representatives.
Before the House left Washington for Christmas break, I forced a vote on my impeachment resolution that put every member on the record.
Unfortunately, some Republicans… pic.twitter.com/2GdO1jFriO
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) January 3, 2024
Fox News reports:
DHS spokesperson Mia Ehrenberg told Fox News Digital the “House majority is wasting valuable time and taxpayer dollars pursuing a baseless political exercise that has been rejected by members of both parties and already failed on a bipartisan vote.”
“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,” Ehrenberg said.
“Secretary Mayorkas and the Department of Homeland Security will continue working every day to keep Americans safe,” she added.
The hearing – titled “Havoc in the Heartland: How Secretary Mayorkas’ Failed Leadership Has Impacted the States” – will delve into how Midwestern states have been affected by the growing influx of illegal immigrants at the southern border.
If impeached, Mayorkas would be the first Cabinet secretary to receive the black mark since 1876.
WATCH:
DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas reacts to next week's House impeachment hearing against him: "This administration is focused on solutions to problems" pic.twitter.com/EVu9qNv5bQ
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) January 3, 2024
Per CNN:
The announcement of the impeachment proceedings comes as immigration is shaping up to be a top issue in the 2024 presidential election, with Republicans slamming President Joe Biden’s immigration policies. On Wednesday, House Speaker Mike Johnson, along with some of his Republican colleagues, will visit one of the busiest sections of the US-Mexico border, where only a few days ago border authorities wrestled with a fresh surge of migrants.
In response to Johnson’s scheduled visit, a senior administration official accused the House Speaker of “playing games” and said he should “stop playing politics” instead of working to pass meaningful reforms.
It’s part of a long-running dispute between Republicans and the Biden administration over the handling of the southern border that’s culminated in impeachment proceedings against the DHS chief who’s charged with border security.
The committee spokesperson told CNN the hearing will begin next week. “The Committee will ensure that the public is aware of the scope of Secretary Mayorkas’ egregious misconduct and refusal to enforce the law, but also that this process is completed promptly and accountability is achieved swiftly—as the American people have demanded,” the statement said.