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()House Republicans delivered articles of impeachment against Alejandro Mayorkas to the Senate on the same day the Homeland Security Secretary testified in front of a congressional committee.
There were 11 representatives chosen by Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson to walk the articles across the Capitol on Tuesday. This move means the Senate is obligated to convene a trial on them under the rules of impeachment, although Democrats have signaled that they will oppose Mayorkas’ ouster, calling impeachment proceedings against him a politically motivated “sham.”
Mayorkas became the first cabinet secretary to be impeached in about 150 years earlier this year. Republicans in the House of Representatives allege that Mayorkas failed to enforce immigration laws and that he lied to Congress under oath when he said the border is “operationally secure.”
In a statement after the House vote to impeach him, Mayorkas denied these claims.
“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,” Mayorkas said at the time.
This week, as he opened the Senate, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said he wants to “address this issue as expeditiously as possible.”
“Impeachment should never be used to settle a policy disagreement,” Schumer said. “That would set a horrible precedent for the Congress.”
Johnson, meanwhile, said Schumer should hold a trial to “hold those who engineered this crisis to full account.”
“Senator Schumer is the only impediment to delivering accountability for the American people,” Johnson said. “Pursuant to the Constitution, the House demands a trial.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
