Republicans want Homeland Secretary removed from office

Republicans are getting closer to impeaching Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas because they don’t like how he’s dealing with the US-Mexico border.

Critics of the Biden administration say that Mr. Mayorkas didn’t do his job properly, which caused a lot of migrants to come into the country.

If the plan happens, Mr. Mayorkas will be the first cabinet secretary to be impeached since 1876.

Over 63 million people have come to the US without permission since 2021.

On Tuesday, the Republican-led House Committee on Homeland Security gathered to work on articles of impeachment against Mr. This is an important step before the whole House of Representatives can vote on the bill.

At the beginning of the meeting, Mark Green, who is in charge of the committee and is a Republican from Tennessee, said that Mr. Mayorkas did not do his job properly in securing the US-Mexico border.

“He didn’t follow the laws made by Congress on purpose, and broke their trust and the trust of the American people,” he said. The results have been really bad, and have put the lives and jobs of all Americans at risk.

Mr Mayorkas, who was not at the meeting, responded to the accusations.

In a seven-page letter published on the same day, he said that untrue accusations don’t scare him and explained the actions the Biden administration is taking to make sure US laws are followed at the border.

Bennie Thompson, a top Democrat on the committee, said that the Republicans are just trying things randomly and doing a fake impeachment for political reasons.

If the Republican-controlled House of Representatives accuses Mr Mayorkas, he would be the first high-ranking government official to go through the process since 1876. This was when Secretary of War William Balknap was accused for his involvement in a kickback scheme. He was found not guilty by the Senate.

Even if the House says he did something wrong, Mr. Mayorkas probably won’t be found guilty by the Senate, which is controlled by Democrats.

The decision to impeach Mr. Mayorkas is causing a lot of talk because many people are worried about the way the US is dealing with immigration and the southern border.

In January, a survey by CBS found that almost half of Americans see the border situation as a big problem, and 63% think the government should make stricter rules.