'Baseless sham': Democrats lash out at GOP lawmakers as they push to impeach Alejandro Mayorkas
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WASHINGTON – Democrats on the House Homeland Security Committee criticized Republicans’ impeachment effort against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas as a “baseless sham,” arguing that “policy differences are not impeachable” in a new report.
“MAGA Republicans have wasted their opportunity to make progress on immigration and border security policy,” the report reads, attacking GOP lawmakers for entertaining impeaching Mayorkas instead of engaging “in a conversation about bipartisan legislation”
The report comes after House Republicans on Sunday unveiled two articles of impeachment against the secretary, accusing Mayorkas of a “willful and systemic refusal to comply with the law” and a “breach of public trust.” House Republicans began formal impeachment proceedings earlier this month and were expected to move swiftly through the process.
Republican lawmakers have long sought to impeach Mayorkas, arguing the secretary has deliberately allowed the crisis at the southern border to continue and mishandled the nation's immigration needs.
In response, the report released by Democrats on Monday argues impeachment “is not a tool for policy or political differences.” The leaders also argued “the Framers never intended for the legislative branch to wield its impeachment power to extort policy changes from the executive branch.”
The GOP-led House Homeland Security Committee is slated to start debating the articles of impeachment against Mayorkas on Tuesday. It's not clear when the articles would get a vote from the entire House, but House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., promised in a letter to his fellow lawmakers that the lower chamber will vote on impeaching Mayorkas “as soon as possible” after the Homeland Security Committee finishes its work.
The report defends Mayorkas in the face of House Republicans’ accusations, saying “Republicans are intentionally mischaracterizing immigration law.”
But House lawmakers aren't the only leaders on Washington focused on the southern border. The effort to impeach Mayorkas comes as Senators are closing in on a bipartisan border deal.
The deal – which has not yet been finalized – would reportedly make it harder for migrants to claim asylum, make it easier for U.S. officials to deport migrants who have remained in the country illegally, expand detention capacity and add Border Patrol staff.
However, the Senate negotiations in particular have been threatened by former President Donald Trump’s reelection bid. The former president has lobbied Republicans to block any sort of bipartisan legislation that would address the border, effectively denying President Joe Biden a victory.
Democrats on the Homeland Security Committee on Sunday took aim at Trump’s presence in the ongoing border talks, accusing Republicans of “perpetuating challenges at the border to help reelect Donald Trump.”
The White House and Department of Homeland Security have also noted the strain on existing resources to address the border, pushing for Congress to pass legislation providing additional funding and other tools for immigration and border officials. The report argues Republicans “cannot blame Secretary Mayorkas for challenges at the border while denying him the resources and tools needed to do his job.”
Contributing: Riley Beggin, USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Dems lash out at GOP lawmakers over push to impeach Alejandro Mayorkas
