The Senate rejected impeachment charges against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, quickly dispatching the the case after trial proceedings that last just a few hours.
The move was not unexpected, with Senators voting along party lines. Mayorkas was impeached in the House more than two months ago by just one vote, as Republicans sought to punish him over the way that he handled the southern border.
Senate Democrats were successful in their move to dismiss the case, voting that the two impeachment charges were unconstitutional because they did not rise to the level of high crimes and misdemeanors. Mayorkas was charged with “willfully” refusing to comply with immigration laws and with making false statements to Congress.
Ian Sams, a White House spokesman, said in a statement, “Once and for all, the Senate has rightly voted down this baseless impeachment that even conservative legal scholars said was unconstitutional. President Biden and Secretary Mayorkas will continue doing their jobs to keep America safe and pursue actual solutions at the border, and Congressional Republicans should join them, instead of wasting time on baseless political stunts while killing real bipartisan border security reforms.”
Republicans have been hammering the Biden administration for the spike in border crossings, as the issue has been a central focus of the 2024 campaign.
Mayorkas was the first sitting cabinet secretary to be impeached. But there was some GOP dissent in the House vote in February, with three Republicans joining with all Democrats in voting against impeachment.
The Senate’s move was a foregone conclusion, as it would have taken 67 votes to convict Mayorkas and force his removal. The only question was how long the trial would last, as Senate Democratic leaders have blasted the impeachment as a politically motivated distraction in the midst of pressing other priorities.
More to come.
