House pushes off impeachment of Homeland Secretary Mayorkas for handling of southern border
WASHINGTON — The House voted Monday to push off a Republican effort to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, ending for now a threat against the Cabinet secretary that has been brewing ever since Republicans took the House majority in January.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a hard-right Republican from Georgia, forced a vote on impeaching Mayorkas to the floor through a rule that allows any single member to force a snap vote on resolutions, including constitutional matters such as impeachment. Eight Republicans joined with Democrats to vote 209-201 to send her resolution to committees for possible consideration, like any other bill. They are under no obligation to do anything.
Impeachment is usually reserved for grave misconduct in office but is instead being wielded in an extraordinary effort to remove Mayorkas for his handling of the southern border. The vote and its GOP support showed a growing appetite to reach for Congress’ most powerful weapons and redefine what the Constitution means by impeachable “high crimes and misdemeanors.” Impeaching a Cabinet official for their policy decisions would be unprecedented.
Greene in a floor speech Monday accused Mayorkas of a “pattern of conduct that is incompatible with the laws of the United States,” as she cited record numbers of illegal border crossings, an influx of drugs and his “open border policies.” The impeachment resolution accuses him of failing to adhere to his oath to “defend and secure our country and uphold the Constitution.”
After the vote, Greene said she may try again to push an impeachment vote to the floor and argued her colleagues would face pressure from voters to impeach Mayorkas. “Many Republicans, I would argue, are really tone deaf to their constituents and to their voters,” she said.
Several prominent Republicans have become outspoken advocates of pushing forward on the GOP’s longstanding 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 runs along the border with Mexico, voiced support for Greene’s resolution.
During congressional testimony, Mayorkas has insisted that he is focused on securing the border and enforcing the law.
Greene’s resolution also calls the influx of migrants an “invasion.” Immigration advocates denounced her use of the term, saying it showed she was acting based on the racist “great replacement theory,” which purports that there is a plot to diminish the influence of white people in society.
