Conservative House Republicans led by Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) have banded together to make the case for the impeachment of Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, bypassing the investigations that GOP leadership has promised will come in January.
Biggs, who is gunning for the speaker’s gavel, led several dozen lawmakers to demand President Joe Biden’s pick to oversee the border be removed from office on the basis that he “has committed high crimes and misdemeanors.”
Biggs cited three examples of how he said Mayorkas broke the law.
“First, Secretary Mayorkas has failed to maintain operational control of the border as required under the law,” he said, quoting the Secure Fence Act of 2006’s definition of operational control as “the prevention of all unlawful entries into the United States, including entries by terrorists, other unlawful aliens, instruments of terrorism, narcotics, and other contraband.”
He added: “Second, he may have lied to Congress when he testified that he was maintaining operational control of the border.
“Congressman Chip Roy of Texas literally showed him the definition — the one I read to you earlier — and Secretary Mayorkas doubled down that he felt the border was secure.”
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The third illegal action, Biggs said, was how Mayorkas had not detained illegal immigrants and instead released more than 1 million people into the U.S.
“The law is clear illegal aliens shall be detained,” Biggs said.
Biggs’s strategy for holding the Biden administration accountable for not turning around the crisis after two years runs counter to that of Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), who is the favorite for the speaker’s chair.
In November, McCarthy and more centrist Republicans, including Texas border Rep. Tony Gonzales, called for Mayorkas to resign or face investigations by GOP-controlled House committees in 2023.
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The results of the investigations, McCarthy said, could lead to impeachment proceedings if investigators determine any wrongdoing.
