FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Chairman Green Leads Passage in the Homeland Security Committee of Impeachment Articles Against Mayorkas
WASHINGTON—Today, the House Committee on Homeland Security, led by Chairman Mark Green, voted favorably to advance the articles of impeachment against Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas out of committee.
Chairman Green said: “The facts are indisputable—for three years, Secretary Mayorkas has willfully and systemically refused to comply with the laws enacted by Congress, and he has breached the public trust. His actions created this unprecedented crisis, turning every state into a border state.
“As a result, thousands of Americans have lost their lives and our nation is experiencing a historic national security, public safety, and humanitarian catastrophe. Make no mistake, Secretary Mayorkas’ lawlessness is exactly what the Framers of our Constitution designed impeachment to remedy. The historical record makes it clear—Congress holds impeachment power to hold accountable public officials who refuse to do their duty, and to deal with grave harms to our political order.
“I am proud of the Committee for advancing these historic articles. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to do the right thing, put aside the politics, and agree that before we can fix Secretary Mayorkas’ mess, Congress must finally hold this man accountable.”
Read the articles here.
BACKGROUND: The House Committee on Homeland Security approved these articles following a nearly year-long investigation into the causes, costs, and consequences of the unprecedented crisis at America’s borders. Throughout the process, Secretary Mayorkas refused to cooperate with requests to appear before the Committee to provide testimony in defense of his refusal to comply with U.S. immigration laws and his breach of the public trust.
Throughout the five-phase investigation that culminated in these impeachment proceedings, the Committee published detailed reports of its findings, totaling nearly 400 pages, which are linked below:
- Phase 1 Interim Report: DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas’ Dereliction of Duty
- Phase 2 Interim Report: DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas Has Emboldened Cartels, Criminals, and America’s Enemies
- Phase 3 Interim Report: The Devastating Human Costs of the DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas’ Open-Borders Policies
- Phase 4 Interim Report: The Historic Dollar Costs of DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas’ Open-Borders Policies
- Phase 5 Interim Report: The Massive Waste and Abuse Enabled by DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas
- Transcribed Interview Appendix: First-Hand Accounts of the Crisis From Border Patrol Sector Chiefs
As part of the investigative process, the Committee has conducted 10 full and subcommittee hearings, gathering testimony from more than two dozen witnesses. The Committee, along with the House Oversight Committee, also conducted transcribed interviews of chief and deputy chief patrol agents responsible for the Border Patrol’s nine Southwest border sectors as part of this investigation. These senior agents gave compelling testimony about the many consequences of Secretary Mayorkas’ open borders:
- Never before have agents seen such historic numbers of illegal crossings
- The lack of consequences enforced by DHS for illegal entry
- Mass releases functioning as a pull factor for millions of illegal aliens
- Illegal aliens are now turning themselves in to Border Patrol, knowing they will be released into the interior
- The expansive degree of cartel control at the Southwest border
- Agents are being taken out of the field in order to help process and release illegal aliens
- Illegal aliens are spreading the word of our open border back home, encouraging more crossings
- The operational impacts of open borders, including closed checkpoints and national security/public safety risks
- Border Patrol sector chiefs contradict Secretary Mayorkas, say they do not have operational control in their sectors
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This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://markgreen.house.gov/2024/1/chairman-green-leads-passage-in-the-homeland-security-committee-of-impeachment-articles-against-mayorkas