On Tuesday, House Republicans cast their votes to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, marking a significant move that now shifts to the Senate, where conviction and removal from office are deemed unlikely.
The vote, which resulted in a narrow margin of 214-213, followed months of conservative criticism directed at Mayorkas and the Biden administration regarding immigration and border security policies.
This was the House’s second endeavor to pass the impeachment resolution, with the previous attempt faltering due to defections within the Republican ranks, causing the effort to fail in the closely divided chamber.
Republican leadership celebrated Tuesday’s vote as a triumph, underscoring their party’s efforts to prioritize immigration concerns leading up to the upcoming fall election.
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GOP Leader Accuses Mayorkas of Violating Federal Law
Representative Elise Stefanik of New York, the chair of the Republican Conference, articulated in a statement that Mayorkas had violated federal law amid a surge in border crossings along the Mexico border.
Stefanik remarked, “House Republicans have demonstrated accountability for the American people by impeaching Alejandro Mayorkas today for his deliberate and systematic disregard for federal immigration laws and his betrayal of public trust.”
In response to the impeachment proceedings, Democrats and the Biden administration have characterized the effort as a political maneuver.
Representative Joaquin Castro of Texas labeled the vote as a “sham” and accused Republicans of exploiting the border issue for political gain.
Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer of New York condemned the impeachment vote in a statement, describing it as a “new low for House Republicans.”
He asserted that Republicans failed to demonstrate that Mayorkas had committed the requisite “high crimes and misdemeanors” for impeachment.
Schumer further criticized the impeachment as “another embarrassment for House Republicans,” attributing its motivation to Speaker Johnson’s desire to appease Donald Trump.
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