Biden Criticizes Mayorkas Impeachment

President Joe Biden criticized House Republicans for their successful impeachment of Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas this week. The president’s statement came as congressional Republicans increased their pressure on the Biden administration over the significant increase of illegal immigrants crossing the southern border.

The president said, “History will not look kindly on House Republicans for their blatant act of unconstitutional partisanship that has targeted an honorable public servant in order to play petty political games.”

The president argued that congressional Republicans were “pushing this baseless impeachment” and cited the recent rejection of a combined foreign aid and border security bill.

Biden argued that the rejection was of “bipartisan plans Secretary Mayorkas and others in my administration have worked hard on to strengthen border security at this very moment — reversing from years of their own demands to pass stronger border bills.”

“Congress needs to act to give me, Secretary Mayorkas and my administration the tools and resources needed to address the situation at the border,” he said.

The president added his opinion that the DHS secretary had “upheld the rule of law faithfully” and “demonstrated a deep commitment to the values that make our nation great.”

Tonight, I again voted to impeach Alejandro Mayorkas. Secretary Mayorkas and the Biden Administration must be held accountable for their refusal to enforce existing federal law. https://t.co/IcmcRMpuOi

— Don Bacon 🇺🇸 🥓 ✈️ 🏍️ (@DonJBacon) February 14, 2024

He further argued that Mayorkas “has spent more than two decades serving America with integrity in a decorated career in law enforcement and public service.”

The House voted 214-213 to impeach the DHS head on Tuesday, marking the first impeachment of a Cabinet official since 1876.

The close vote was the House’s second attempt to impeach the Biden administration official over allegations that he violated his oath of office amid the ongoing border crisis.

The House had attempted to impeach the secretary earlier in February but failed in a close vote. Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA) was unable to make the first vote due to ongoing cancer treatment. While the impeachment vote was successful, it is less likely that the Democratic-controlled Senate will convict Mayorkas and remove him from office.