The Senate dismissed the first impeachment article against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas, voting along party lines with Republicans arguing the charge failed to meet the constitutional bar of a high crime or misdemeanor. Democrats countered that a cabinet member cannot be impeached for carrying out administration policies. Republicans warned that skipping an impeachment trial would set a dangerous precedent and tried to delay the dismissal, but Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer moved to strike down the second article of impeachment as well, angering Republican senators who accused him of degrading the Senate. Mayorkas, the first sitting cabinet member to be impeached in U.S. history, faced accusations related to immigration policies, sparking arguments about the legitimacy of the impeachment process.
Democrats denounced the impeachment of Mayorkas as illegitimate and political, with legal experts arguing the accusations against him were groundless and did not rise to the level of impeachable offenses. Republicans pushed forward to blame the secretary for President Biden’s immigration policies, which they believe have contributed to a surge of illegal migration at the southern border. Republicans insisted on a trial where House impeachment managers would lay out their accusations against Mayorkas. The vote came after Republicans spent the day criticizing chaos at the southern border and holding the Biden administration accountable for the surge in border crossings.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell pointed out the need to address the crisis at the southern border and the fundamental responsibility to hold a trial for Mayorkas. However, he did not mention his previous support for dismissing a second impeachment case against former President Trump before a trial was held. Mayorkas continued working throughout the impeachment process, negotiating a border security deal that fell apart after opposition from former President Trump. He also called on Congress to provide more resources for border law enforcement and hire additional personnel to tackle the immigration challenges the country is facing.
The Senate prepared to transform itself into a court of impeachment, with senators sworn in and required to sit at their desks for the proceeding. After the first impeachment article was dismissed, there was an intense debate over whether a trial should be held at all. Republican Senator Mike Lee demanded to know what constituted a high crime and misdemeanor if not the accusations against Mayorkas. Mayorkas spent his time focusing on his duties, including negotiating a border security deal and advocating for increased resources to enforce border laws. Despite the dismissal of the impeachment articles, the debate over immigration policies and border security remains a key point of contention between Democrats and Republicans in the Senate.
