WASHINGTON (NewsNation) — The House will formally move forward with steps to impeach U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mark Green confirmed to NewsNation.
Several House Republicans have been pushing to impeach Mayorkas over the past months. They say Mayorkas should be removed from his job due to his handling of the southern border. This comes as Speaker Mike Johnson leads a delegation of House members to the southern border Wednesday.
“It’s clear that as long as Secretary Mayorkas remains in office, our border will remain unsecured and vulnerable to human and drug trafficking,” said Texas Republican Beth Van Duyne.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., moved twice to force votes on impeaching Mayorkas last fall.
The House shelved the first resolution after eight Republicans voted with Democrats to refer the measure to the Homeland Security Committee, again dealing a blow to one of Greene’s procedural gambits and teeing up a public spat between her and another GOP lawmaker — Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) — who criticized her and her effort.
Greene yanked her second attempt after she said Johnson “guaranteed that we’ll be moving forward with impeachment” for Mayorkas. But the episode did not conclude without Greene taking a clear shot at Johnson.
“It’s still early in his Speakership, so I have given him — I’ve been patient, but the honeymoon’s over,” Greene said of Johnson minutes after she moved to force a second vote. “So at this point, yes, I’m frustrated.”
While California Republican Tom McClintock agrees Mayorkas has failed to maintain operational control of the border, he says impeaching him would be a mistake.
California Democrat Rep. Ted Lieu says Republicans are wasting time.
NMW and The Hill contributed to this report.
