(UnitedVoice.com) – The US border with Mexico has been in a crisis for almost two years. President Joe Biden’s decision to reverse former President Donald Trump’s immigration policies threw it into chaos. More than 2 million immigrants entered the US through the southern border without proper authority in the fiscal year 2022.
Republicans are furious about the situation at the border and the administration’s failure to fix it. A movement began to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for allowing the problem to become so bad.
Impeachment Movement
The GOP took control of the House of Representatives in the midterm elections. Lawmakers have said they will focus on oversight when the new session begins next year. One of the steps they reportedly intend to take is Mayorkas’ impeachment.
Fox News reported Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) accused the secretary of releasing “more than 1 million illegal aliens into the country.” He claimed CBP and ICE never heard from most of the released immigrants again. The conservative did not provide proof of his claims about the immigrants disappearing. Republicans don’t believe the secretary has maintained “operational control” over the border as required by law.
Biggs filed a measure to impeach Mayorkas in 2021, but the bill never went anywhere with Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) in charge of the chamber. The Hill reported Biggs said now that the GOP is in the majority, he expects them to impeach next year. He went on to accuse the secretary of committing “high crimes and misdemeanors” with “willful and intentional” bad conduct.
Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) has called on the secretary to resign from his position or face possible impeachment.
Senate Reactions
Unlike House Republicans, GOP lawmakers in the Senate aren’t so quick to call for the secretary’s impeachment. Conservatives do not have control of the upper chamber; therefore, they find their options limited regarding what they can accomplish.
POLITICO reported Senator John Thune (R-SD) called on the lawmakers in the House to focus on their oversight responsibilities and specific targets within Biden’s administration. He explained he wants to pressure Democrats into working with the GOP while providing much-needed oversight.
Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) has said he hasn’t “given any thought” to impeaching members of the Biden administration, including the Homeland Security secretary. He also made it clear that he hasn’t seen any officials commit acts he believes warrant impeachment.
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