US (Washington Insider Magazine)—The US House of Representatives has impeached Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, marking a significant moment in the ongoing political battle over immigration. In a closely contested vote of 214-213 on Tuesday, the Republican-led House held Mayorkas responsible for a surge in illegal border crossings from Mexico, setting the stage for the 2024 presidential election.
Republicans passed two articles of impeachment, accusing Mayorkas of a “willful and systemic refusal” to enforce immigration laws and a “breach of public trust.” His impeachment makes him the first cabinet secretary to be impeached in nearly 150 years.
The move comes as Republicans continue to push for stricter immigration measures, hoping to make border security a key issue in the upcoming election. The impeachment follows a failed attempt last week to remove Mayorkas, where Republicans lost by a single vote after misjudging the attendance of lawmakers.
President Joe Biden condemned the impeachment as a “political stunt,” pointing to Mayorkas’s long career of service, including his background as a Cuban immigrant and his tenure as a US attorney. Biden emphasized that the impeachment targeted an honorable public servant.
Despite criticism, Republican leaders doubled down, with House Speaker Mike Johnson stating that Mayorkas had failed to do the job for which he was confirmed. The impeachment vote comes amid a broader confrontation between the House and the Democrat-controlled Senate over border security and a sharp rise in illegal border crossings, with apprehensions reaching a record 10,000 per day in December.
While Republicans continue to blame Mayorkas for the immigration surge, President Biden criticized their rejection of bipartisan efforts to address border security, accusing them of bad faith. As the debate intensifies, immigration is poised to remain a central issue in the 2024 election cycle.
