US House Votes to Pause Impeachment of Alejandro Mayorkas – The US House of Representatives decided to temporarily halt the impeachment proceedings against Alejandro Mayorkas, the homeland security secretary, disrupting a Republican push accusing him of neglecting his responsibilities in overseeing the US-Mexico border.
Introduced on Thursday by Republican representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, the impeachment articles assert that Mayorkas, appointed by Joe Biden, breached his oath of office by not effectively managing the surging numbers of migrants at the border. The House decided to send the articles back to the House Homeland Security Committee, currently conducting its own inquiry into Mayorkas’s purported negligence.
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This development arises amid Congress’s imminent deadline of less than five days to either extend funding or risk the United States entering its fourth partial government shutdown in a decade. Following months of Republican threats, the impeachment stems from their criticism of Biden’s administration for easing strict measures on accepting migrants and asylum seekers implemented during Donald Trump’s Republican presidency.
If the Republican-led House proceeds with impeachment, it’s highly likely that Mayorkas would be acquitted in a Senate trial, given the Democrats’ slim control. In response to the initial impeachment motion, a US Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said lawmakers should stop ‘their reckless impeachment charades and attacks on law enforcement” and instead “deliver desperately needed reforms for our broken immigration system.”
Since assuming office in 2021, under President Biden’s administration, US border agents have conducted over 5 million arrests of migrants engaging in irregular crossings—meaning, not through controlled border stations—across the US-Mexico border. These migrants come from diverse origins, with significant numbers escaping economic and political upheaval in countries such as Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela.
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In the 2024 elections, both Biden and Trump are aiming for another term, with Trump currently positioned as the top contender for the Republican nomination. Additionally, House Republicans have initiated an impeachment inquiry targeting Biden. This investigation centers around the president’s son, Hunter Biden, and the White House has refuted any allegations of wrongdoing.