Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene moved on Thursday to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, accusing him of failing to protect the United States from an “invasion” of “border crossers.”
The Georgia Republican reportedly introduced the resolution as privileged, which means it requires action within two legislative days.
“As Secretary of the Department of Homeland Secretary, Alejandro Mayorkas, has violated his oath to uphold this constitutional duty by allowing the invasion of approximately 10,000,000 illegals across our borders,” the resolution states. “The ongoing invasion at our southern border is a direct national security threat against the States and against the citizens therein.”
It accuses Mayorkas of having “willfully abandoned his duty to secure the border” and protect the U.S. from “invasion.”
Greene also charges that Mayorkas has violated the Secure Fence Act of 2006, which declares that the border is operationally secure only if no people or contraband improperly enter the country.
“Alejandro Nicholas Mayorkas, in his inability to enforce the law, has engaged in a pattern of conduct that is incompatible with his duties as a civil officer of the United States,” Greene’s resolution says.
Pushing back on claims that he has broken the law, Mayorkas said in July that the standard set in the Secure Fence Act is impossible to achieve.
“The Secure Fence Act, specifically the statute, defines operational control as not having one individual cross the border illegally,” Mayorkas told lawmakers. “Under that statutory definition, no administration has achieved operational control.”
The Department of Homeland Security said Thursday that the Republican push to impeach Mayorkas over policy differences is “baseless,” given that the secretary has not met the constitutionally-required threshold for high crimes and misdemeanors.
“While the House Majority has wasted months trying to score points with baseless attacks, Secretary Mayorkas has been doing his job and working to keep Americans safe,” DHS said in a statement obtained by The Hill.
“Instead of continuing their reckless impeachment charades and attacks on law enforcement, Congress should work with us to keep our country safe, build on the progress DHS is making, and deliver desperately needed reforms for our broken immigration system that only legislation can fix.”