Republicans on House Homeland Security Committee Vote to Impeach Mayorkas

On Wednesday, House Republicans on the Homeland Security Committee voted, 18-15, along party lines, to take the initial step in impeachment proceedings against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. 

The Details:  Mayorkas is accused of refusing to enforce federal immigration laws and breaching public trust by failing to assert control of the US-Mexico border. The full House could vote on these charges as early as next week. 

For Context: If a majority of the House approves the charges, Mayorkas would be the second Cabinet official in U.S. history to face impeachment, and the first since 1876.  The proceedings come in response to a drastic increase in illegal immigration under the Biden Administration. Mayorkas denies the charges, and in a letter to the committee stated that the U.S. requires immigration law reform that only Congress can provide.

How The Media Covered It:  Regardless of political leaning, no media outlet disputed the historic nature of the proceedings. The New York Post (Lean Right bias) said the hearing affirmed that "Mayorkas failed to detain migrants crossing the border before deciding whether to grant asylum." CBS News (Lean Left) highlighted how "House Democrats characterized the impeachment effort as a 'sham' and said the articles lack evidence of high crimes or misdemeanors — the constitutional basis for impeachment." This summary was developed with the help of AllSides' AI technology.