On Tuesday, Republicans approved impeachment charges against the Secretary of Homeland Security in a US House committee. Alejandro Mayorkas who is accused of jeopardizing the security of the country with the entry of illegal migrants.

The charges were approved by the House Homeland Security Committee. 18 votes in favor (all Republicans) and 14 against. -all democrats-, one step before them put to a vote at the plenary meeting.

Plenary voting could take place as early as next week. His approval would formally open the impeachment process against Mayorkas. at a time when migration and the border are becoming an election issue.

The charges that Republicans accuse Mayorkas of, also called articles of “impeachment,” “violation of public trust” and “systematic and deliberate failure to comply with the law” by failing to properly resolve the border situation between the United States and Mexico.

Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mark Green, a Republican, said Tuesday that “this is the last resort to combat Secretary Mayorkas’s willful and systematic disregard for the rule of law.” This is a political process.”

“After three years of this crisis and a year of investigations and procedures, “We must move forward on accountability.” he added.

The committee’s ranking Democrat, Bennie Thompson, responded that “impeach” Mayorkas “This is a baseless farce” and that “the few reasonable Republicans remaining in the House know this, even if they refuse to admit it.” “The American people deserve better,” he said.

Mayorkas, for his part, released a six-page letter he sent to the committee chairman in which he assured that he had provided countless amounts of information that “clearly demonstrates” how you comply with the law and expressed regret that it did not help stop this “baseless” process.

“I assure you that your false accusations They do not bother me or distract me from fulfilling the law. and the wider public service to which I remain committed,” he said.

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Republicans now have a weak majority of 219 to 213 in the House of Representatives, Therefore, when they bring charges to the plenary, they must receive the support of almost all its members to be approved.

If articles flourish, The Senate will consider the impeachment case against Mayorkas. it is almost impossible to succeed in this process, since this chamber requires a two-thirds vote, and the Democrats have a majority.

But Republicans will try to take advantage of the publicity surrounding the impeachment trial of President Joe Biden’s immigration chief once the issue is resolved. becomes very important during the election campaign.

In December 2023, they crossed the southern border of Mexico and the United States. at least 302,000 illegal migrants, an unprecedented number. In fiscal year 2023, 2.4 million people were detained, also a record.

The White House and senators of both parties entered into an immigration agreement – the details of which are unknown – to address the current border crisis, but former President and Republican pre-candidate Donald Trump (2017-2021) and his allies in Congress oppose its prosperity.

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Journalist Jesus Esquivel believes that the former president Donald Trump has cornered current US President Joe Biden ahead of this year’s election, so the Democrat is now competing with the Republican to see who is tougher on the border issue, and thus appeal to the conservative or independent voter for whom such political campaign rhetoric resonates.

He noted that Biden is “emulating Trump” by threatening to close the border, which “will not comply” due to the economic impact this closure will have.

(according to information from EFE and Aristegui News)