The House of Representatives has voted by a narrow margin of one vote to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. He will be the first U.S. cabinet member to face impeachment in nearly one and a half century.
Mayorkas faces allegations of committing high crimes and misdemeanors for his handling of the southern border crisis. He is also blamed for an unprecedented inflow of migrants at the Mexican border.
Three Republican lawmakers – Ken Buck, Mike Gallagher, and Tom McClintock – crossed the floor Tuesday to vote against the articles of impeachment, leading to its passage by the thinnest of margins; 214 to 213.
In a statement issued after the vote, President Joe Biden reacted sharply, saying, “History will not look kindly on House Republicans for their blatant act of unconstitutional partisanship that has targeted an honorable public servant in order to play petty political games.”
“Instead of staging political stunts like this, Republicans with genuine concerns about the border should want Congress to deliver more border resources and stronger border security. Sadly, the same Republicans pushing this baseless impeachment are rejecting bipartisan plans Secretary Mayorkas and others in my administration have worked hard on to strengthen border security at this very moment — reversing from years of their own demands to pass stronger border bills.”
Mayorkas, a Cuban immigrant who came to the United States with his family as political refugee, has spent more than two decades serving in law enforcement and public service – from his time in the Justice Department as a U.S. Attorney to his service as Deputy Secretary and now Secretary of Homeland Security.
The Senate’s impeachment trial will reportedly begin on February 26. It is likely to fail in the upper chamber, where the Democratic party holds majority.
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