Sen. Josh Hawley said that he will block quick confirmation of President-elect Joe Biden’s pick for homeland security secretary, Alejandro Mayorkas.
Hawley’s move is likely to enrage the Missouri senator’s colleagues in the chamber further, some of whom have called for Hawley to be expelled from the Senate over his objection to certifying Electoral College results from Pennsylvania even after the Jan. 6 siege on the U.S. Capitol building.
“On Day 1 of his administration, President-elect Biden has said he plans to unveil an amnesty plan for 11 million immigrants in this nation illegally. This comes at a time when millions of American citizens remain out of work and a new migrant caravan has been attempting to reach the United States. Mr. Mayorkas has not adequately explained how he will enforce federal law and secure the southern border given President-elect Biden’s promise to roll back major enforcement and security measures,” Hawley said in a statement on Tuesday.
“Just today, he declined to say he would enforce the laws Congress has already passed to secure the border wall system. Given this, I cannot consent to skip the standard vetting process and fast-track this nomination when so many questions remain unanswered.”
Hawley’s procedural hold will not stop the nomination from proceeding at all but will slow down the process and likely leave the position filled by only an acting head of the department when Biden takes office on Wednesday.
If confirmed, Mayorkas, 61, will be the first Latino and immigrant to lead the department. He is the former director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee held a hearing to consider Mayorkas’s confirmation on Tuesday, one day before Biden is inaugurated as president. Hawley, a member of the committee, questioned Mayorkas on Biden’s immigration plan.
