Because of migration policy
US House of Representatives votes to impeach Secretary of Homeland Security
Alejandro Mayorkas, US Secretary of Homeland Security
© Alex Brandon/AP/DPA
The US Republicans want to drive the Secretary of Homeland Security out of office because of his migration policy. The first step is successful. However, it is unlikely that the Democrat will ultimately be sacked.
However, such an impeachment process would have to be conducted and decided in the Senate, where the Democrats have a narrow majority and some Republicans have also expressed doubts about the efforts against Mayorkas. It is therefore likely that the Senate will reject the request – and that there will be no impeachment proceedings.
“Next to a declaration of war, impeachment is arguably the most serious power of the House of Representatives, and we have treated this matter accordingly,” said House Republican Leader Mike Johnson. “As this Secretary refuses to do the job for which he was confirmed by the Senate, the House must act.”
Mayorkas is the enemy of many Republicans
Last week, the Republicans in the House of Representatives had already tried to organize such a vote against the 64-year-old minister, but failed because individual Republican members also voted against it. On Tuesday evening, several parliamentarians were missing from the vote. The necessary majority of votes cast was slightly smaller and was achieved this time.
The Secretary of Homeland Security is an enemy of many Republicans. They accuse him and President Joe Biden’s Democrats of having lost control of protecting the US southern border in view of the large number of immigrants. Cuban-born Democrat Mayorkas is accused by Republicans of “breach of public trust” and a “deliberate and systematic refusal” to enforce immigration laws. It is the first impeachment procedure against a US minister since 1876. Many legal experts are of the opinion that the conditions for impeachment proceedings against the minister responsible for border protection do not exist.
The Democrats, on the other hand, accuse the Republicans of a purely party-politically motivated maneuver. The Department of Homeland Security, the White House and Democratic leaders in the House and Senate sharply criticized the vote on Tuesday evening as a political stunt without any basis. The issue of migration has been a major point of contention between Democrats and Republicans for years and is also playing a major role in the current presidential election campaign.
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Biden criticizes impeachment proceedings
US President Joe Biden immediately rebuked the Republicans. The Democrat spoke of a “blatant act of unconstitutional partisanship that targeted an honorable public servant to play petty political games.”
“We will continue to seek real solutions to the challenges facing Americans, and House Republicans must decide whether they want to join us in solving the problem or continue playing politics with the border ” the president continued.