Amid an unchecked illegal immigration crisis along the nation’s southern border, U.S. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) recently announced his intention to consider impeaching Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas’ when Republicans take control of the chamber next month.
Appearing near the U.S.-Mexico border in El Paso, Texas, last month, he vowed: “We will use the power of the purse and the power of subpoena.”
McCarthy, who is facing his own political pressure from conservatives in his bid to become the next House speaker, added that officials who have been complicit in the border crisis “will be held accountable” in the upcoming legislative session.
“If Secretary Mayorkas does not resign, House Republicans will investigate every order, every action, and every failure to determine whether we can begin impeachment inquiries.”
Since then, a growing number of GOP lawmakers have added their voices to the backlash against Mayorkas, including Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ), who launched a failed bid last month to replace McCarthy as the party’s nominee for the speakership.
“Now that we have the majority in the House of Representatives, I expect our party to pursue impeachment next Congress,” he said. “Secretary Mayorkas has committed high crimes and misdemeanors.”
Biggs went on to describe the Biden administration official’s behavior as “willful and intentional.”
Mayorkas received similar criticism from other House Republicans who took part in a press conference earlier this week.
A little less talk, a lot more action. It’s time to impeach Secretary Mayorkas. pic.twitter.com/j60XgmNadR
— Rep. Lauren Boebert (@RepBoebert) December 13, 2022
Rep. Mayra Flores (R-TX), for example, confirmed that the House Judiciary Committee has vowed to investigate his actions and that “nothing short of an impeachment and removal proceedings should be the outcome.”
The press conference included both supporters and opponents of McCarthy’s bid to become House speaker, indicating that anti-Mayorkas sentiment is something that can unite the disparate factions of the GOP.
In total, 20 House Republicans voiced support for impeachment, which would require a House resolution passing with a majority vote and support from two-thirds of the U.S. Senate. The latter requirement would almost certainly fail since Democrats will retain control of the upper chamber in the upcoming session.
While President Joe Biden has refused to visit the border thus far in his term, Mayorkas did stage such a trip this week, asserting that his appearance in El Paso was to “review operations” and meet with border agents and other immigration officials.
