In a narrow 214-213 vote on Tuesday, the House of Representatives passed articles of impeachment against Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas, primarily over his management of the southern border amid record levels of illegal immigration.
This decision was met with approval from nine anonymous Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials, who expressed their dissatisfaction with Mayorkas to the Daily Caller News Foundation (DCNF). However, they also acknowledged that the road to resolving the southern border crisis remains long and arduous.
The DCNF granted anonymity to these officials, who are not authorized to speak publicly. An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) official told the DCNF, "We have laws in place that are not being enforced due to Mayorkas leadership. If agents and officers were authorized to enforce the laws enacted by Congress this influx would not have occurred, but instead he pushes for agents and officers to process and release individuals as quickly as possible. Individuals are released into the United States with minimal background checks and minimal follow up."
In response to the news of Mayorkas' impeachment, a Border Patrol agent expressed his disdain using a Spanish slur. He also noted that while the impeachment might not bring about significant change, it serves as a symbolic victory and a powerful statement in an election year.
Illegal immigration at the southern border has reached unprecedented levels during Mayorkas' tenure as DHS Secretary. According to Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data, the Border Patrol recorded over 2.2 million encounters with individuals attempting to cross the U.S.-Mexico border illegally in fiscal year 2022. This number remained above 2 million in fiscal year 2023.
Another Border Patrol agent criticized Mayorkas' leadership, stating, "Mayorkas was a total dumpster fire who never owned up to the crisis he created with his disastrous policies. But I dont think the Senate is gonna remove him which sucks."
While some DHS officials view the impeachment as a positive step, they also believe it only addresses a small part of the larger problem. One agent expressed skepticism about the impeachment's potential impact, stating, "Its about time, but the border is far greater than him. Hes just the scapegoat to the true evil behind it. All for show. They passed more spending for Ukraine."
The articles of impeachment accuse Mayorkas of "willful and systemic refusal to comply with the law" and "breach of the public trust," primarily due to his handling of the southern border. A second ICE official criticized the timing of the impeachment, stating, "Too little, too late honestly. Should have been done three years ago if they truly wanted to change [] the border situation. And why wasnt Kamala [been] impeached as well since she was considered and appointed the Border Czar by the President? Its just a political stunt to show the republicans are tough on the border after they voted to pass the terrible border security bill."
Despite the impeachment, some officials remain skeptical about the potential for significant change. One agent stated, "Impeaching the Secretary will not disrupt the administrations goal of allowing millions of illegal aliens into the country. As long as this administration remains in place, the chaos at the border will continue. Policy changes need to be implemented immediately."
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