For a single vote on a second try, United States Republicans have opened in Congress a probe into Alejandro Mayorkas, the Homeland Security secretary in the Biden administration, who oversees immigration. That issue sits at the core of American social and political life, today sharpened by the presidential election cycle. GOP leaders, with Donald Trump as the likely nominee, are aiming to weaponize it against Biden and the Democrats.
Mayorkas faces impeachment days after Republicans, under Trump’s pressure, blocked bipartisan border-security legislation that would have funded sharper border controls. The same package included reforms to immigration and international aid to Ukraine and Israel. With international aid now approved in the Senate as a separate matter from border measures, Republicans in the House threaten to block it unless immigration controls are added.
The impeachment effort against Mayorkas has little chance of success in the Senate, where Democrats hold sway and a two-thirds vote is required for conviction. Still, the move marks a historic indictment. It would be the first impeachment of a cabinet member in 148 years and the first ever aimed at an official who is currently in office. It has sparked concern, even among some Republicans, that the impeachment tool could degrade its constitutional power by turning it into a partisan weapon.
Second attempt
A week after a miscount caused a setback in the initial vote to impeach Mayorkas, a stumble described by critics as embarrassing for House Speaker Mike Johnson, Republicans managed to push the measure forward again by a narrow margin.
Although three conservatives who opposed opening the process initially joined Democrats this time, the tally finished at 214 to 213. One Democrat was absent due to a Covid infection, and another could not reach Washington because of flight problems. The process is now set in motion.
On February 26, when the Senate returns from a two-week recess, the House plans to deliver two impeachment articles against Mayorkas. The first accuses him of dereliction of duty at the border, alleging obstinate noncompliance with the law and pointing to a policy shift associated with the previous administration that treated asylum seekers differently as their cases proceeded. The second accuses him of breaking public trust, suggesting false statements to Congress about border control and hindering investigations. It argues Mayorkas claimed operational control of the border in 2022, a claim tied to fewer illegal crossings, while Mayorkas has argued that his framework recognizes a broader, ongoing border crisis that departments like the Border Patrol must address.
Mayorkas had received support from the Fraternal Order of Police, the country’s largest police union, and several former holders of the post from both parties urged Johnson to drop the impeachment effort. The response, however, has not changed course.
The Biden critique
President Biden released a statement denouncing what he called a blatant partisan, unconstitutional act aimed at a dedicated public servant to play political games. He argued that instead of pursuing political tricks, Republicans with real concerns about the border should push Congress to provide more resources and stronger border security. Biden added that surrendering to political stunts in times of need does not reflect the expectations of the American people.
One Republican critic, Mike Gallagher, who voted against opening the impeachment, warned that the case against Mayorkas does not rise to crimes and misdemeanors that would justify such an action, warning that a Pandora’s box could be opened. Another conservative, Ken Buck, who also opposed initiating the process, urged the party to seek other channels for political disagreements rather than impeachment. He noted that there are other tools available for lawmakers to express their policy differences.
As the debate unfolds, the administration maintains that the process is not only about one official but about the stability of executive and legislative checks. The broader political backdrop features a tight race that will influence how security and immigration policies are framed in the months ahead, both in the United States and in relation to allied concerns abroad.