Impeachment
Main article:
Impeachment of Alejandro Mayorkas
On November 9, 2023, Representative
Marjorie Taylor Greene filed a motion to impeach Mayorkas, citing a dereliction of duty and saying he "failed to maintain operational control of the [Southern] border".<a href="
Alejandro Mayorkas - Wikipedia"><span>[</span>74<span>]</span></a> The motion to impeach failed to pass on November 13, with the House of Representatives voting 209–201 to defer the resolution to the
House Homeland Security Committee. Eight Republicans joined all Democrats in blocking the measure.<a href="
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Alejandro Mayorkas - Wikipedia"><span>[</span>76<span>]</span></a>
On January 28, 2024, House Republicans introduced two articles of impeachment against Mayorkas, alleging "willful and systemic refusal to comply with the law" and breach of the public trust. Constitutional legal scholars and Democrats asserted Republicans were using impeachment to address immigration policy disputes rather than for
high crimes and misdemeanors, of which there was no evidence.<a href="
Alejandro Mayorkas - Wikipedia"><span>[</span>77<span>]</span></a> Legal scholar and law professor
Jonathan Turley commented that the impeachment lacked a "cognizable basis" and that the inquiry had failed to show "conduct by the secretary that could be viewed as criminal or impeachable".<a href="
Alejandro Mayorkas - Wikipedia"><span>[</span>78<span>]</span></a> In a
Washington Post opinion piece,
Norm Eisen and Joshua Matz argued that an impeachment of Mayorkas on grounds of "maladministration" would violate the Constitution.<a href="
Alejandro Mayorkas - Wikipedia"><span>[</span>79<span>]</span></a> Former DHS secretary
Michael Chertoff, a Republican, wrote in a
Wall Street Journal opinion piece that "Republicans in the House should drop this impeachment charade and work with Mr. Mayorkas to deliver for the American people."<a href="
Alejandro Mayorkas - Wikipedia"><span>[</span>80<span>]</span></a> On the eve of a committee vote on the impeachment articles, the conservative
Editorial Board at The Wall Street Journal also questioned the reasoning for impeachment, writing "A policy dispute doesn't qualify as a high crime and misdemeanor."<a href="
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On January 31, 2024, Republicans on the House Homeland Security Committee approved the articles along party lines for referral to the full House.<a href="
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Alejandro Mayorkas - Wikipedia"><span>[</span>83<span>]</span></a> On February 6, 2024, the House voted against impeaching Mayorkas, nearly along party lines, with the final vote being 214–216.<a href="
Alejandro Mayorkas - Wikipedia"><span>[</span>84<span>]</span></a> Major media outlets variously characterized the failed vote as a "stunning rebuke", a "calamitous miscalculation", and a "story of a House in utter disarray".<a href="
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Alejandro Mayorkas - Wikipedia"><span>[</span>87<span>]</span></a> On February 13, 2024, the House voted to impeach Mayorkas on a party-line vote
