Republicans impeach US homeland security chief Alejandro Mayorkas over border crisis
- Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas accused of not enforcing US immigration laws
- The vote marks the first time in nearly 150 years that a Cabinet secretary has been impeached
Republicans impeached US President Joe Biden’s immigration chief on Tuesday, the culmination of months of attacks on the Democratic administration as they seek to make border security a key issue in November’s election.
Conservatives in the House of Representatives, which is narrowly controlled by Republicans, blame Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for a surge in illegal entries from Mexico that they have called a “humanitarian catastrophe”.
Lawmakers passed two articles accusing him of “wilful and systemic refusal” to enforce immigration law and “breach of public trust” – making him the first Cabinet secretary to be impeached in nearly 150 years.
Tuesday’s re-run was just as close, but the return of Republican House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, who had been receiving cancer treatment, swung the chamber the other way in a 214-213 vote.