House Committee Votes to Advance Articles of Impeachment for Mayorkas

In a party-line vote, the House Homeland Security Committee voted to advance articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

After the vote, which came at about 1 a.m. on Jan. 31, Chairman Mark Green issued this statement: “The facts are indisputable -- for three years, Secretary Mayorkas has willfully and systemically refused to comply with the laws enacted by Congress, and he has breached the public trust. His actions created this unprecedented crisis, turning every state into a border state."

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., ahead of the committee vote, told a Fox Business television host that he expected the House would vote on the impeachment next week. If no Democrats support the impeachment, the Republicans could only lose one Republican and still impeach the cabinet secretary.

If he is impeached, two-thirds of the Senate would have to vote to convict him in order for Mayorkas to be removed from office. The Senate has 51 senators who are either Democrats or independents who caucus with the Democrats, so that is highly unlikely.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a floor speech: "Last night, while most Americans were fast asleep, a House committee voted to advance the absurd effort to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

"The Republican House majority is moving forward with this sham impeachment effort despite producing no evidence that Secretary Mayorkas has committed any crime.

"House Republicans have failed to present any evidence of anything resembling an impeachable offense."

Schumer complained that Senate Republicans and Democrats are negotiating on policies that could reduce the number of asylum seekers and unauthorized entrants to the U.S., but "House Republicans keep exploiting the border only for political gain, only to help Donald Trump on the campaign trail, instead of working to solve the problem."