Of the 20 Texas Republicans in Congress running for re-election, six have joined an effort to impeach U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for failing to secure the southern border with Mexico. Two others have expressed interest in impeachment proceedings should Republicans win control of the U.S. House of Representatives in the upcoming midterms.
Since President Biden’s inauguration last year, U.S. Border Patrol has apprehended more than 3.8 million illegal aliens at the southern border. During the four years of Donald Trump’s presidency, there were less than 2.3 million apprehensions.
This 3.8 million doesn’t even include the estimated 900,000 “known gotaways” who have entered the country illegally since the beginning of fiscal year 2021, not to mention the thousands more who crossed the border undetected.
The huge influx in illegal aliens has pulled Border Patrol away from enforcement duties to distribute baby formula and diapers in immigrant processing centers. Mark Morgan, the former acting commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, claims that 80 to 90 percent of agents are often reassigned to this task.
Still, Mayorkas has insisted the border is secure on multiple occasions.
In March 2021, in a warning to those attempting illegal entry, Mayorkas asserted, “The border is closed; the border is secure.” The following month, he argued in congressional testimony that the Biden administration had “effectively managed an unprecedented number of non-citizens seeking to enter the United States.”
In September 2021, Mayorkas informed Congress, “The border is secure. We’re executing our plan,” contending the border was “no less secure than it was previously.” At the time, up to 15,000 illegals from Haiti were gathered under a bridge in Del Rio, Texas.
Only a few months ago, while speaking at a national security conference, Mayorkas insisted, “Look, the border is secure. We are working to make the border more secure. That has been a historic challenge.”
Mayorkas has also been criticized for his agency’s role in coordinating surreptitious flights carrying illegal aliens to communities across the country, and it was recently revealed that he knowingly lied when he accused mounted Border Patrol agents of whipping Haitians attempting to cross the border illegally.
In August 2021, U.S. Representative Andy Biggs (R-Arizona) introduced legislation to impeach Secretary Mayorkas for “willfully refus[ing] to maintain operational control of the border.” Eight representatives from Texas, six of whom are running for re-election, have signed on as co-sponsors.
When asked to comment on the prospect of impeaching Mayorkas, Rep. Chip Roy (R-Kerrville) and Rep. Brian Babin (R-Woodville) pointed to recent tweets.
The DHS Secretary @AliMayorkas must be impeached. I laid out the case for impeachment last spring, here: https://t.co/kneofrdn2B – this latest revelation demonstrates a total disregard for his duty & those he is entrusted to lead. #ImpeachMayorkas #StandUpForAmerica https://t.co/5MIVJ03uMc
— Chip Roy (@chiproytx) October 12, 2022
“He has undone effective border security policies, intentionally created a historic border crisis, and gutted law enforcement’s ability to remove those here illegally.”
Mayorkas has abandoned his oath to protect the country and should be impeached.https://t.co/waPftnGhov
— Brian Babin (@RepBrianBabin) October 31, 2022
U.S. Rep. Beth Van Duyne (R-Dallas) said the following:
Secretary Mayorkas has shown a complete contempt for the law, lied to Congress on numerous occasions and implemented a border plan that was designed to fail and endanger our country. He deserves to be impeached.
U.S. Rep. Troy Nehls (R-Richmond) said he “absolutely” supports an effort to impeach Mayorkas, while U.S. Rep. August Pfluger’s office (R-San Angelo) said “[he] has been a frontline leader in calling out Mayorkas for presiding over the worst border crisis in history and jeopardizing our national security.” However, neither Nehls nor Pfluger are listed as co-sponsors of Biggs’s H. Res. 582.
There has not been any action on the bill since it was referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary. The bill’s text and full list of co-sponsors can be viewed here.
Early voting ends November 4. Election Day is November 8.
