GOP's 2022 campaign calls to impeach Mayorkas fizzle, Gaetz says, 'We don't have the votes'

Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz says he and fellow House Republicans don't appear to have enough votes to fulfill a 2022 midterm campaign promise to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for what they consider his failure to maintain his oath of office in having created the border crisis.

"We don’t have the votes," Gaetz said Monday, The Washington Times reported.

"I don’t think we’re close to having the votes," Gaetz said when pressed further on the matter.

Congressional Republicans have filed articles of impeachment against Mayorkas on several occasions, arguing Biden administration policy has resulted in a record number of migrants at the southwestern U.S. border and that Mayorkas and others have not done enough to address the problems.

Mayorkas has acknowledged the border problems but argues they are part of a worldwide immigration problem and has brushed aside calls for impeachment, saying he's focused on doing his job.

The impeachment process would almost certainly end in the Democrat-controlled Senate, and impeaching a Cabinet official has only happened once in U.S. history.

Arizona Rep. Andy Biggs filed the first articles of impeachment against Mayorkas in August 2021.

"I believe Mayorkas has committed high crimes and misdemeanors," he also said near that time about trying to impeach Mayorkas. "What he has done has just been unconscionable. I’m pushing hard."

Texas Rep. Chip Roy called for his fellow Republicans to join him in impeaching Mayorkas last March, but no articles were filed.

A month later, then-House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy floated the idea of impeaching the Homeland Security secretary. However, he has trodden cautiously on the politically charged matter.

Texas Rep. Pat Fallon filed impeachment articles against Mayorkas last month.