House Republicans have been scrutinising Mayorkas' actions for months, aiming to highlight immigration and border security as a central election issue.
ADVERTISEMENTThe U.S. House, led by its Republican majority, voted to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, on Tuesday.
After an unsuccessful attempt to impeach him the previous week, Republicans narrowly secured a majority in a subsequent vote, 214 to 213.
However, with the Senate controlled by Democrats, it is expected for Mayorkas to be able to keep his position.
The move is part of a series of recent actions by House Republicans to exercise Congress’ impeachment authority.
In January 2024, Republicans on the US House Committee on Homeland Security passed two articles of impeachment against Mayorkas, accusing him of overseeing a neglectful approach to border security and immigration enforcement, as well as releasing hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants into the country's interior, among other charges.
The Constitution grants Congress the authority to impeach and remove "all civil officers of the United States," including the president, for "treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors." This underscores Congress' duty to oversee and hold accountable the other branches of the federal government through investigative efforts.
However, the impeachment process, like much of Congress' oversight work, is influenced by partisan interests. Investigations tend to intensify when Congress and the presidency are controlled by opposing parties, potentially as a means to diminish the president's approval ratings.