House Rejects Impeachment of DHS Head Alejandro Mayorkas

On Monday, the House voted 209-201 to shelf a resolution introduced by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

The Details: Eight Republicans crossed party lines to vote against the resolution, with several others abstaining. The impeachment claimed Mayorkas was violating the 2006 Secure Fence Act by not maintaining “operational control” of the border, which is defined as preventing “all unlawful entries” of migrants.

For Context: Unauthorized migration to the U.S. has hit record highs under the Biden administration. The House is also currently reviewing a stopgap spending bill, which needs to be passed by Friday to avoid a government shutdown. Funding for the Department of Homeland Security, which has defended Mayorkas in light of the impeachment, would be impacted by a shutdown.

Key Quotes: Rep. John Duarte (R-CA), who voted against the resolution, said the impeachment “hasn’t gone through regular order,” and that House representatives “don’t have time to waste,” with a shutdown looming.  Previously, in April, Mayorkas said, “It is the objective of the Department of Homeland Security to have operational control... That of course, is an impossible standard.”

How The Media Covered It: Axios (Lean Left bias) said Greene “forced vulnerable Republicans to take a politically risky vote.” CNBC (Center bias) called the vote “a blow to House conservatives” and added context on how the situation at the border has put political pressure on the Biden administration. National Review (Lean Right bias) did not mention the looming shutdown.