House Republicans Move Forward with Impeachment Proceedings Against Homeland Security Secretary
Washington — House Republicans are moving quickly on advancing impeachment proceedings against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, holding their second and final hearing on the matter in eight days.
At Thursday's hearing before the House Homeland Security Committee said, lawmakers will hear from an Arizona sheriff and people whose family members have died as a result of fentanyl overdoses or violent crime.
Republicans have repeatedly accused Mayorkas of failing to enforce the nation's laws as a record number of migrants arrived at the U.S.-Mexico border.
The Department of Homeland Security, or DHS, has criticized the impeachment effort as a "baseless" political attack and Democrats have argued there is no legal basis for impeaching Mayorkas.
Ahead of the hearing, House Republicans and DHS clashed over whether Mayorkas will appear in person during the impeachment proceedings. Republicans wanted Mayorkas to attend this week's hearing, but he declined, citing a conflicting meeting with Mexican officials about border enforcement. The secretary agreed to testify, but asked to coordinate a time that works for his schedule.
GOP Chairman Requests Written Testimony from Secretary Mayorkas
Republican Representative Mark Green of Tennessee, the chairman of the committee, has requested written testimony from Secretary Mayorkas for an upcoming hearing. In a letter obtained by CBS News, Green expressed the committee's desire to hear directly from Mayorkas regarding the crisis at the border and the actions taken by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Green also expressed disappointment that previous invitations for Mayorkas to testify had been rejected or delayed.
Punchbowl News reported on the letter, highlighting the ongoing communication issues between the committee and the DHS. According to DHS, Mayorkas has testified before Congress more times than any other Cabinet official, with a total of 27 appearances in less than three years. However, the committee has not discussed alternate dates for Mayorkas to testify in the last week.
Response from DHS
In response to the request for written testimony, DHS spokesperson Mia Ehrenberg criticized the committee's process, calling it a "sham." Ehrenberg accused Committee Republicans of having a predetermined agenda and rushing to impeach Mayorkas without genuine interest in hearing from him. The statement emphasized the committee's lack of interest in engaging with Mayorkas and their disregard for due process.
Attorneys general from Montana, Oklahoma, and Missouri testified at the first impeachment hearing, emphasizing the impact of migration on their states during Mayorkas' tenure. They linked drug and trafficking incidents in their communities to the surge of migrants at the southern border.
Although the GOP-controlled House may impeach Mayorkas, it is highly unlikely that he would be convicted in a Senate trial, as it requires a two-thirds majority vote to remove him from office, and the Senate currently has a Democratic majority. Nonetheless, if impeached, Mayorkas would become the first Cabinet official to face impeachment since 1876.
How to watch the Mayorkas impeachment hearing
- What: The House Homeland Security Committee holds its second and final impeachment hearing for Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas
- Date: Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024
- Time: 9:30 a.m.
- Online stream: Live on CBS News in the player above and on your mobile or streaming device.
