As promised, the new Republican House majority moved quickly this week to begin holding Biden administration officials accountable for what they perceive as a gross dereliction of duty, negligence, and abuse of trust.
First up on the impeachment hot seat: Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.
Throughout President Joe Biden’s first two years in office, Republicans have complained about his lack of immigration and border enforcement as millions of migrants have illegally crossed into the U.S., with many of them being released into the interior with notices to appear before immigration courts years in the future that most will never honor.
At the same time, Republicans have blasted Mayorkas for failing to uphold his oath of office and enforce immigration laws currently on the books, especially those dealing with immediate deportation after individuals cross illegally into the country.
But he has steadfastly refused to do so, offering platitudes during congressional testimony while claiming that the border “is not open” when it clearly is.
And now, Republicans have reached their limit.
“Since day one, Secretary Mayorkas’ policies have undermined law enforcement activities at our southern border,” Rep. Pat Fallon (R-Texas), who filed articles of impeachment on MOnday, said in a statement to Fox News last week. “From perjuring himself before Congress about maintaining operational control of the border to the infamous ‘whip-gate’ slander against our border patrol agents, Secretary Mayorkas has proven time and time again that he is unfit to lead the Department of Homeland Security.”
“His willful actions have eroded our immigration system, undermined border patrol morale, and jeopardized American national security. He has violated the law and it is time for him to go,” Fallon added.
The filing has been referred to the House Judiciary Committee, now chaired by Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio).
The first article of impeachment accuses Mayorkas of failing to faithfully execute the “Secure the Fence Act of 2006,” which is a law requiring the DHS secretary to “maintain operational control over the entire international land and maritime borders of the United States.”
The second article alleges that Mayorkas, “in violation of his constitutional oath, willfully provided perjurious, false, and misleading testimony to Congress.”
The third and final article claimed that Mayorkas “publicly and falsely slandered” border agents who were accused and cleared of whipping Haitian migrants in Del Rio, Texas, in 2021.
“The 511-page report by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Office of Personal Responsibility found ‘no evidence that [Border Patrol agents] involved in this incident struck, intentionally or otherwise, any migrant with their reins,’” Fallon noted. “Secretary Mayorkas slandered his own Border Patrol agents and TXDPS Troopers involved in this incident, contributing to a further decrease in already-low morale among agents.”
