houses of Parliament
US Republicans fail with motion for impeachment
US Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas is an enemy of many Republicans. photo
© Kevin Wolf/AP/dpa
The US Republicans want to drive the Secretary of Homeland Security out of office because of his immigration policy. But there is a lack of unity within their own ranks.
The chamber’s Republican chairman, Mike Johnson, had previously expressed optimism that the proposal would be passed. For him and his party, the vote means a bitter defeat. Immediately after the vote, Johnson’s spokesman announced on
Accusation: Mayorka has lost control of border protection
The Secretary of Homeland Security is an enemy of many Republicans. They accuse President Joe Biden’s Democrats of having lost control of protecting the US southern border in view of the large number of immigrants. With regard to migration and border security, the Republicans accuse the Cuban-born minister of deliberately and systematically refusing to comply with applicable law. In addition, the 64-year-old knowingly provided false information and placed his political preferences above compliance with the law. The Democrats, on the other hand, accuse the Republicans of a party-politically motivated maneuver.
If there is an impeachment trial, it would be the first against a member of the US Cabinet in almost 150 years. After approval in the House of Representatives, the Senate, as the second chamber of Congress, would have to decide whether to remove the minister from office. President Biden’s Democrats have a slim majority there. It is therefore unlikely that Mayorkas could ultimately be removed from office.
President Biden is coming under increasing pressure
However, impeachment proceedings in an election year would draw further attention to the issue of migration and border security. Biden, who wants to run again in the election like his likely Republican challenger Donald Trump, is coming under increasing pressure on the issue. On the one hand, his opponents are driving him ahead of him in the election campaign. On the other hand, the Republicans in Congress are blocking further US aid for Ukraine, which is attacked by Russia, in the dispute over a stricter asylum policy.