US House impeaches Secretary of Homeland Security

The US House of Representatives voted to impeach the Secretary of Homeland Security on two charges related to border security.

The House of Representatives voted 214 to 213 to impeach US Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on February 13, accusing him of failing to enforce US immigration laws and making false statements to Congress.

"Secretary Mayorkas has willfully and repeatedly refused to comply with federal immigration law, causing the worst border disaster in American history," said House Speaker Mike Johnson.

The vote comes a week after a similar effort failed in the House of Representatives. Republican Congressman Steve Scalise, who sat out last week's vote due to cancer treatment, held the deciding vote.

Secretary Mayorkas at a press conference in Nevada on February 7. Photo: AFP — Secretary Mayorkas at a press conference in Nevada on February 7. Photo: *AFP*

Impeachment of a secretary of state is extremely rare in American history. The only cabinet official ever impeached was Secretary of War William Belknap in 1876.

The Senate Majority Leader's office announced that senators will be sworn in as jurors on February 26, after the end of their recess. However, the Democratic-controlled Senate is almost certain not to remove Mr. Mayorkas from his position as Secretary of Homeland Security.

Secretary Mayorkas said he was not responsible for the current border situation, saying it was the result of an immigration system that the US Congress has not been able to fix.

"The Republican-controlled House of Representatives has smeared a public servant who has spent more than 20 years enforcing the law and serving our country, without any evidence or constitutional basis," said Mia Ehrenberg, spokeswoman for the US Department of Homeland Security.

The number of illegal immigrants from Mexico entering the US has increased to a record high since President Joe Biden took office in 2021. Former President Donald Trump is making this a focus of his election campaign and attacking the White House owner.

A Reuters/Ipsos poll last month found immigration to be the second-most important concern for U.S. voters, behind only the economy. House Speaker Johnson said President Biden was responsible for the “border disaster” and said Republicans would seek to remove Secretary Mayorkas.

The Democratic-controlled US Senate is proposing sweeping reforms to US-Mexico border security at the request of Republicans, but recent negotiations have run into growing resistance from Republican supporters of Donald Trump.

Vu Anh (According to Reuters )

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