U.S. House Republicans suffered a major setback Tuesday in their fight to solve the illegal migrant crisis after failing to impeach U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas.
Weeks of inquiries and investigations into Mayorkas' alleged failure to fulfill his duty in securing the Southern border culminated in an impeachment vote that ended 214-216 against the measure.
The "nays" included Republican U.S. Reps. Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin, Tom McClintock of California and Ken Buck of Colorado. Blake Moore (R-Utah) initially voted in favor of impeachment but switched to a no vote at the request of Republican leadership to leave the door open for another attempt, perhaps as early as next week, whereas a tie would have ended the matter outright.
Alabama's Republican House delegation expressed frustration at the vote's failure but remained determined to hold Mayorkas accountable.
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“Alejandro Mayorkas is derelict in his duty. As Secretary of Homeland Security, he is responsible for the Biden border crisis," U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Saks) posted to X shortly before the vote. "I will vote to impeach him today, tomorrow, and every day the border stays wide open."
U.S. Robert Aderholt (R-Haleyville) said Mayorkas could institute his own policies on the border, but he wasn't above the law.
"I cast my vote to impeach Secretary Mayorkas because he has failed to stop the invasion of our nation by illegal immigrants, human traffickers, drug smugglers and terrorists," U.S. Robert Aderholt (R-Haleyville) said. "I know that some have said this vote is just for a political show, but let me be clear, I voted for impeachment because failure to stop this invasion most definitely meets the criteria of a 'high crime and misdemeanor.'"
He continued, "While I'm disappointed this vote failed, we will not give up and we will likely bring this vote back up. Our government is a system of checks and balances. In that system, the Secretary is entitled to his own policies, but now his own laws. Republicans have repeatedly said the Biden Administration must comply with the laws of the land and the blatant refusal to do so is an impeachable offense. Further, we also urge the Secretary to immediately reinstate the Trump border policies. We saw how much the numbers dropped during his Presidency. Many of the tools are already there to turn this crisis around."
U.S. Rep. Barry Moore (R-Enterprise) vowed to vote for Mayorkas's impeachment "every day until the border is closed."
"Secretary Mayorkas has willfully refused to comply with immigration laws already on the books designed to protect the American people, and all he has to offer are lies and half-hearted apologies," said Moore. "Americans have had enough. Mayorkas invited an invasion at our southern border that has led to nearly 10 million illegal encounters, more than 85,000 migrant children lost by our government, and fentanyl overdose deaths quadrupling in the last three years as drugs pour across our southern border. It's time for him to be held accountable for his failures."
U.S. Rep. Gary Palmer (R-Hoover) blamed Mayorkas and President Joe Biden for the thousands of overdose deaths caused by fentanyl coming across the border.
"Despite the outcome of today's vote, the facts remain the same," Palmer said. "Alejandro Mayorkas has, on at least five separate occasions, lied under oath to the United States Congress and betrayed the public's trust by failing to uphold the Constitution as Secretary of Homeland Security."
"Under pressure from President Joe Biden, Secretary Mayorkas' neglect of the law has perpetuated the flow of deadly fentanyl into our communities, which is responsible for almost 70% of all drug overdose deaths, increased violent crime across the country, and has supported the largest human trafficking operation in the world," he added. "The Committee on Homeland Security has found clear evidence Secretary Mayorkas has failed to comply with current immigration laws, lied to Congress, and has breached the public's trust. It is time we hold him and the person in charge, President Biden, accountable for failing to secure our borders."
U.S. Rep. Jerry Carl (R-Mobile) said Mayorkas had "blood on his hands" related to the 160 illegal migrants on the FBI's terrorist watch list that have made it across the border so far.
"[A]nd those are just the ones we've caught. Not to mention the drugs and human trafficking flowing across every single day," Carl said. "Secretary Mayorkas took an oath to defend and protect our country when he was sworn in as Secretary of Homeland Security, and he has completely failed to fulfill that oath. There is blood on his hands, and it is past time that he be held accountable for failing to do his job."
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