The House voted Tuesday night to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.
The final tally was 214-213.
🚨BREAKING: The House has Voted to IMPEACH DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on two articles: “willful and systemic refusal to comply with the law” and “breach of public trust” pic.twitter.com/RysuQYf3i6
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) February 14, 2024
House Speaker Mike Johnson released a statement after the vote saying, “From his first day in office, Secretary Mayorkas has willfully and consistently refused to comply with federal immigration laws, fueling the worst border catastrophe in American history.”
“He has undermined public trust through multiple false statements to Congress, obstructed lawful oversight of the Department of Homeland Security, and violated his oath of office,” he added.
“Alejandro Mayorkas deserves to be impeached, and Congress has a constitutional obligation to do so … Since this Secretary refuses to do the job that the Senate confirmed him to do, the House must act,” Johnson said.
My statement on the House voting to impeach Secretary Mayorkas: pic.twitter.com/CwNdm4XQkU
— Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) February 14, 2024
Are you happy about this?
Yes: 100% (14 Votes)
No: 0% (0 Votes)
President Joe Biden responded to the news saying it was a “blatant act of unconstitutional partisanship that has targeted an honorable public servant in order to play petty political games,” according to The Associated Press.
“Mayorkas is the first cabinet member to be impeached since William Belknap, Secretary of War under President Ulysses S. Grant, in 1876,” NPR noted.
The Senate, which is controlled by the Democrats, is unlikely to vote to convict Mayorkas.
The Constitution requires a two-thirds vote of the members to convict and remove an official from office.
Last week, the House failed to garner the votes needed to impeach Mayorkas because some of the Republican members, including House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, were not present.
The earlier vote was 214 for impeachment and 216 against.
Republican Reps. Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin, Tom McClintock of California and Ken Buck of Colorado joined with Democrats in that vote and in Tuesday night’s, as well.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called the vote “a new low for House Republicans,” NPR reported.
“This sham impeachment effort is another embarrassment for House Republicans,” he added. “The one and only reason for this impeachment is for Speaker Johnson to further appease Donald Trump.”
