Mike Johnson Reveals Next Step in Mayorkas Impeachment

House Speaker Mike Johnson revealed Thursday the Republicans' next steps in the impeachment efforts of Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

In a letter posted to X, formerly Twitter on Thursday, Johnson announced that the Republican-led House of Representatives was planning to send impeachment articles against Mayorkas to the Senate on April 10.

The letter said, "On February 13, 2024, the House of Representatives voted to impeach Secretary Mayorkas for high crimes and misdemeanors, including his willful and systemic refusal to comply with the law and his breach of public trust."

"The evidence on both charges is clear, comprehensive, and compelling, and the House's solemn act to impeach the first sitting Cabinet official in American history demands timely action by the Senate."

The letter also accused Mayorkas of being responsible for "releasing millions of illegal aliens into the interior and creating unlawful mass-parole programs."

"The American people demand a secure border, an end to this crisis, and accountability for those responsible," the letter said, adding that it would be a violation of the U.S. Constitution if the Senate decides to table the articles of impeachment "without ever hearing a single argument ore reviewing a piece of evidence."

The context:

Last month, the House voted in favor of impeaching Mayorkas in a vote of 214-213. The impeachment resolution accuses the secretary of ignoring immigration laws and making "false statements" about the United States-Mexico border.

Over the past several months, Republicans have repeatedly criticized President Joe Biden's handling of immigration and the influx of migrants illegally crossing the southern border.

What we know:

Data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection shows that in January, the number of illegal migrant encounters at the nation's Southwest land borders declined from previous months but was still up from 2020. In February, the data shows that there were over 180,000 illegal migrant encounters.

Biden previously called on Republicans to pass a bipartisan border security deal. However, Republicans instead said that Biden could use executive authority to take action on the border.

Views:

A DHS spokesperson directed Newsweek to the statement they issued on the night of the impeachment vote in February, which said, "House Republicans will be remembered by history for trampling on the Constitution for political gain rather than working to solve the serious challenges at our border."

"Without a shred of evidence or legitimate Constitutional grounds, and despite bipartisan opposition, House Republicans have falsely smeared a dedicated public servant who has spent more than 20 years enforcing our laws and serving our country. Secretary Mayorkas and the Department of Homeland Security will continue working every day to keep Americans safe," the statement said.

Last month, the Biden administration also responded to Mayorkas's impeachment, saying, "This impeachment already failed once on a bipartisan vote. Instead of staging political stunts like this, Republicans with genuine concerns about the border should want Congress to deliver more border resources and stronger border security."

What's next:

As Johnson's letter noted, the articles of impeachment against Mayorkas will be sent to the Democrat-controlled Senate in April.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer previously called the impeachment efforts "another embarrassment for House Republicans."

Update 3/28/24, 1:40 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.

Update 3/28/24, 2:26 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.