House pushes off impeachment of Homeland Secretary Mayorkas for handling of southern border

The House of Representatives made a decision on Monday to delay a Republican attempt to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, thus ending a looming threat against the Cabinet secretary since Republicans assumed the majority in the House in January.

Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, a staunch Republican from Georgia, utilized a rule that allows any single member to force a prompt vote on resolutions, including constitutional matters like impeachment, to bring a vote on impeaching Mayorkas to the floor. Eight Republicans, along with Democrats, voted 209-201 to refer her resolution to committees for potential consideration, similar to any other bill. These committees are not bound by any immediate action.

Traditionally, impeachment is reserved for serious misconduct in office, but in this case, it’s being employed as an extraordinary measure to target Mayorkas for his management of the southern border. This vote, and the support it garnered from the GOP, indicates a growing willingness to employ Congress’s most potent tools and reinterpret the meaning of “high crimes and misdemeanors” as outlined in the Constitution. Impeaching a Cabinet official for their policy decisions would be unprecedented.

In her floor speech, Greene accused Mayorkas of a “pattern of conduct that is incompatible with the laws of the United States,” citing record numbers of illegal border crossings, an influx of drugs, and his “open border policies.” The impeachment resolution accuses him of failing to uphold his oath to “defend and secure our country and uphold the Constitution.”

After the vote, Greene indicated that she might make another attempt to bring an impeachment vote to the floor and argued that her colleagues could face pressure from their constituents to impeach Mayorkas.

“Many Republicans, I would argue, are really tone deaf to their constituents and to their voters,” she remarked.

Several prominent Republicans have become vocal supporters of advancing the GOP’s long-standing effort to impeach Mayorkas. House GOP whip Tom Emmer, the No. 3 House Republican, as well as Rep. Tony Gonzales, a Texas Republican whose congressional district spans the border with Mexico, voiced their support for Greene’s resolution.

During congressional testimony, Mayorkas has consistently stated that his focus is on securing the border and upholding the law.

“While the House Majority has wasted months trying to score points with baseless attacks, Secretary Mayorkas has been doing his job and working to keep Americans safe,” a DHS spokesperson stated.

Greene’s resolution also characterizes the influx of migrants as an “invasion.” Immigration advocates have criticized her use of this term, contending that it reflects the racist “great replacement theory,” which alleges a plot to diminish the influence of white people in society.

“Rep. Greene’s impeachment articles are a dangerous and racist political stunt and should be voted down by all of her colleagues in the House, regardless of their opinions on the policy actions of the Biden administration,” stated Vanessa Cárdenas, executive director of America’s Voice.

Republicans have closely scrutinized the Biden administration’s handling of the border with Mexico for months and have sought to build an impeachment case against Mayorkas. However, Greene expressed frustration with the progress of these inquiries and pointed to a car crash in Texas that resulted in the death of eight people. The incident occurred after a driver suspected of smuggling individuals attempted to evade the police and collided with another vehicle.

The renewed effort to impeach Mayorkas presents another challenge for the new House Speaker, Mike Johnson, who is already dealing with the potential impeachment vote and delicate negotiations regarding government funding legislation to prevent a federal shutdown at the end of the week.

Earlier this month, Johnson stated in a Fox News interview that he believed Mayorkas had committed “impeachable offenses,” but he also cautioned that the House has limited time and resources. The speaker, who has been in the role for just three weeks, has also expressed support for an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden.

It’s worth noting that only one U.S. cabinet official has ever been impeached: Secretary of War William Belknap in 1876. A House investigation uncovered evidence that he had received kickback payments while administering government contracts.

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• House pushes off impeachment of Homeland Secretary Mayorkas
• Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene
• Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas
• Impeachment in the United States
• Border security in the United States
• Bipartisan support for impeachment resolution
• Historical impeachment of U.S. cabinet officials
• Debate over immigration policies
• House Speaker Mike Johnson
• Racial connotations of the term “invasion”