Impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas Dismissed by Senate
House Impeachment Referred to Senate for Trial
Senate Votes Along Party Lines to Dismiss Impeachment Articles
On Tuesday, the House of Representatives formally referred the impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to the Senate for a trial. The House had impeached Mayorkas in February over allegations of dereliction of duty related to his handling of the US-Mexico border.
The Senate, however, voted on Wednesday to dismiss the first of two articles of impeachment against Mayorkas, with all Democrats voting against dismissal and all Republicans voting in favor. The vote effectively ended the impeachment proceedings.
The vote also marks the first time that the Senate has dismissed an impeachment article against a cabinet-level official. The Senate has previously dismissed impeachment articles against presidents, but not against members of the cabinet.
Mayorkas, who was appointed by President Biden in 2021, has faced criticism from Republicans over his handling of the border, which has seen a sharp increase in illegal crossings since he took office. However, Democrats have defended Mayorkas, arguing that he is doing the best he can under difficult circumstances.
The dismissal of the impeachment articles against Mayorkas is a victory for the Biden administration, which has been under fire from Republicans over its handling of the border. It also weakens the House Republicans' ability to hold the administration accountable.
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