Even though the midterm elections did not go exactly as planned last month for GOP candidates around the nation, Republicans were able to retake a narrow majority in the House when the next Congress is sworn in on January 3. As the party will have the gavel in the committees in the lower chamber and the power to issue subpoenas and conduct investigations, several members have begun demands for the entire House to impeach Joe Biden’s Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.
Conservative House Republicans are pressuring current Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) in particular to commit to impeaching Mayorkas if he is successful in his bid to become the next Speaker, replacing outgoing Nancy Pelosi (D-CA).
Mayorkas has been under scrutiny from conservative Republicans since Biden assumed office, as he is the face of the ongoing illegal migration crisis at the southern border. Law enforcement officers have encountered almost 4 million illegal border crossers since Biden was sworn in, with a record 2.4 million crossing in Fiscal Year 2022.
Secretary Mayorkas has committed high crimes and misdemeanors.
His conduct is willful and intentional.
I expect @JudiciaryGOP to open an impeachment inquiry in the 118th Congress, conduct a formal investigation, and finally proceed to impeach him. pic.twitter.com/4AkueBDSon
— Rep Andy Biggs (@RepAndyBiggsAZ) December 14, 2022
Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) told reporters at a Tuesday press conference that he expects impeachment of the DHS secretary to be a top priority of the House under GOP leadership. He said, “Secretary Mayorkas has committed high crimes and misdemeanors. His conduct is not incompetent. It is not negligent. It is willful and intentional.”
Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) also said Mayorkas “regularly lies to the American people, claiming that the southern border is closed.”
Boebert added, “I’ve been there. It’s wide open.”
Rep. Mayra Flores (R-TX) said that after Republicans take control of the House Judiciary Committee, “nothing short of an impeachment and removal proceedings should be the outcome.”
The border crisis is likely a central issue in McCarthy’s effort to be elected Speaker by his fellow House Republicans. He called for Mayorkas to resign during a border visit last month to El Paso. At that time, he said that if the secretary does not voluntarily resign, it “could lead to an impeachment inquiry.” However, McCarthy has not made a public pledge to seek a Mayorkas impeachment if he becomes Speaker.
Biggs has said he plans to challenge McCarthy for the Speakership as the representative of the House Liberty Caucus. To achieve the 218 votes needed for a majority and election as Speaker, McCarthy will only be able to lose the votes of four House Republicans.
