Deputy Marjorie Taylor Greene filed articles of impeachment against Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas for “aggravated crimes and misdemeanors” in connection with his negligence on the southern border.
In the articles introduced on Wednesday, Mayorkas exploded for violating his oath of office ‘defend and secure our country and uphold the constitution’ while engaging in conduct that’incompatible with the laws of the United States States.’
In particular, Mayorkas is accused of ‘deliberately allowing’ illegal migrants, drug and human traffickers, terrorists and the deadly fentanyl across the southern border.
In addition, Greene’s articles argue that the chief border officer’s “catch-and-release” policy allows migrants to enter without a strong enforcement mechanism in place to ensure they are dealt with by the US justice system.
Calls for Mayorkas’ impeachment by Republicans have grown stronger in recent weeks, especially as the end of Title 42 approaches.
According to the impeachment articles, Mayorkas is “compliant” in ending Title 42, which has endangered US citizens and made the job of border patrols extremely difficult when dealing with an influx of migrants.
Mayorkas is no stranger to having articles of impeachment against him
Newly arrived migrants wait in a US Customs and Border Protection garage
A group of GOP senators traveling to the Brownsville, Texas border last week called for his removal on the basis of the “humanitarian crisis” they witnessed as a result of the massive influx of migrants entering the US
Sens. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., Ted Cruz, R-Texas, Ted Budd, RN.C., and John Hoeven, RN.D., all called up Mayorkas to be deposed for his ‘dereliction of duty’ at the border.
Title 42 was enacted in 2020 under former President Trump as a pandemic-era response to quickly remove migrants who had entered the country illegally.
“This is absolutely a disaster and a humanitarian crisis,” Marshall said after visiting the border last week, which has been overrun with illegal migrants.
“The biggest threat to our national security is here in southern Texas, all the way to Arizona.”
In the days leading up to the end of Title 42, border detentions reached about 10,000 a day.
However since Title 42s end at midnight Thursday, crossings down about 50 percent as migrants – and smugglers preying on their status – assess the new Title 8 regulatory regime.
Biden hailed the recent drop, saying over the weekend, “They’re down, I hope they’ll continue to fall, and we still have a lot of work to do.”
More than 6 million people have entered the US illegally since Biden took office, including 1.4 million known “getaways,” those who entered without being apprehended by police.
Mayorkas is no stranger to having articles of impeachment against him.
In 2021, Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., first impeached articles of impeachment against the embattled secretary, but they went nowhere since the House was run by Democrats at the time.
In early 2023, after the GOP took control of the House, Rep. Pat Fallon, R-Texas, also passed legislation stating that the Secretary’s “defamation” of Border Patrol agents during the infamous “whipgate” was a key reason for the removal of the top border official.
Although the articles were referred to the Speaker of the House Judiciary, Jim Jordan, they were never pushed forward for a wider vote in the House of Representatives.
In the days leading up to the end of Title 42, border detentions reached about 10,000 a day.
His willful actions erode our immigration system, undermine the morale of border patrols and endanger American national security. He should be removed from office,” Fallon said at the time.
In response to Fallon’s action, a DHS spokesperson blamed the Republicans.
“They need to come to the table and work on solutions to our broken system and outdated laws, which they haven’t updated in over 40 years,” the spokesperson said.
Last week, GOP Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., said he would support impeachment against Mayorkas. He is the
Jordan, whose committee was set to handle the proceedings, has not come out flat and has pushed for impeachment.