McCarthy threatens an impeachment investigation and demands Mayorkas, the DHS secretary, step down.

Alejandro Mayorkas, the secretary of homeland security, was urged to stand down by House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), who warned that if he does not, GOP legislators may explore impeaching him next year.

McCarthy said at a news conference on Tuesday in El Paso, Texas, “If Secretary Mayorkas does not leave, House Republicans will investigate, and every order, every action, and every failure will decide if we can commence impeachment investigation.”

McCarthy gave his resignation as justification for his assurances to Congress that the border is under control, record numbers of people crossing the border, and his decision to stop the “Remain in Mexico” asylum program, which was implemented during the Trump administration.

Secretary Mayorkas’ negligence may leave our nation permanently damaged, McCarthy warned.

The minority leader’s remarks on impeachment are his most forceful ones to yet, but they stop short of a commitment to put up articles against Mayorkas.

During a vote held behind closed doors last week, McCarthy’s nomination by House Republicans to be Speaker of the next Congress was approved.

Hardline conservatives urged him to be more assertive on issues including the impeachment of members of the Biden administration and President Biden himself, but he still faces resistance from them.

The minority leader’s lack of commitment to removing Mayorkas from office led Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), the former head of the House Freedom Caucus, to launch a last-minute protest challenge against McCarthy for speaker. Earlier, Biggs filed articles of impeachment against the government officer. In the House Republican Conference meeting’s secret ballot, he garnered 31 votes while McCarthy received 188.

McCarthy must have the support of the majority of those who will be voting for a Speaker candidate on the House floor on January 3.

McCarthy has little room for mistake on that vote, however, given that Republicans secured a razor-thin majority in the midterm elections of 2022. Several Republicans, including Biggs, have said they won’t support him in the election.

After spending the previous day visiting the border and speaking with border guards, House Republicans held a news conference with fellow House Republicans.

McCarthy said that the incoming heads of the House Judiciary and Oversight Committees, Republicans Jim Jordan of Ohio and James Comer of Kentucky, “have my total backing to examine the collapse of our border and the stoppage of ICE enforcement.”

“McCarthy is correct, leader. Responsibility for the historic problem on the southwest border should fall on Americans. In a statement released before the press conference, Jordan, who would preside over impeachment proceedings if they happened, said that Republicans will hold Secretary Mayorkas responsible for his failure to enforce immigration law and protect the border via all necessary measures.

Republicans pledged to look into the Biden administration’s immigration and border policy as a significant component of their messaging before the midterm elections, and Comer has long maintained he would convene hearings on the border. Mayorkas will have a designated parking space from the House GOP since he will be testifying so often, said House Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) in September.

Following McCarthy’s address, Mayorkas responded to Congress in a statement, saying that he had no intentions to quit.

“Secretary Mayorkas is honored to assist this Department’s outstanding personnel, achieve its noble goal, and serve the American people. The Department of Homeland Security issued a statement saying, “We will continue to fight to uphold our laws, protect our border, and create a safe, orderly, and humanitarian immigration system.

The statement added, “Members of Congress can do more than point the finger at others; they should come to the table and work on solutions for our broken system and out-of-date laws, which have not been updated in more than 40 years.

Although Mayorkas conceded that a record 1.7 million migrants tried to enter the Southwest border in the fiscal year that ended in September, he insisted that the border is under control his appearances before Congress last week.

“A migratory catastrophe is affecting the whole globe. People are moving across nations at a never-before-seen rate, he said.

He also promised to search for new methods of immigration control now that Title 42, which allowed the government to swiftly deport people without first seeking asylum due to public health issues, has been overturned by a federal court.

Given the country’s political and economic volatility, Mayorkas said the agency is presently considering ways to send Venezuelans back over the border. This group represents a significant portion of migrants entering the United States.

Recent demands for Mayorkas’ resignation came soon after Chris Magnus, the commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, resigned at President Biden’s request.

At a different news conference in April, McCarthy first gave the impression that Mayorkas may be removed from office.

His opportunity to do his duties is now. But there is always the prospect of impeaching someone if they are being negligent in their duties, McCarthy said during a news conference in Eagle Pass, Texas, in April.

Later, though, he downplayed hopes of impeachment, stating that he did not want the process to be politicized like the impeachment of former President Trump by Democrats. This viewpoint was reaffirmed by McCarthy on Tuesday in El Paso.

“Impeachment is never done for political reasons. We’re looking into that,” McCarthy said.

“We are well aware of Secretary Mayorkas’ actions. Across this country, we have seen something unprecedented. We repeatedly observed him in front of the committee when he claimed that the border was secure, and not a single border agent agreed with him, McCarthy added. “So we’ll look at it. We will proceed if an investigation results in an impeachment probe.