House Homeland Security Committee moves forward with Mayorkas impeachment articles

The House Homeland Security Committee on Wednesday scheduled its markup of articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for alleged "high crimes and misdemeanors" over his handling of the border crisis. 

The markup is scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 30, after a year-long investigation that included multiple interviews, 10 hearings and six reports, committee Chairman Mark Green, R-Tenn., said. 

"Our thorough and fair investigation exposed Secretary Mayorkas’ abuse of power and refusal to comply with the law. In November, 201 Democrats voted to refer articles of impeachment against the secretary to our Committee and, having completed impeachment hearings earlier this month, we plan to mark up those articles next week," Green said. 

The markup is planned after the panel held two impeachment hearings against Mayorkas this month.

The markup of the impeachment articles happens right shortly before they are sent to the full House for consideration. Mayorkas could be the first Cabinet official to be impeached since the 1870s, and the second Cabinet official ever to be impeached. However, Mayorkas is unlikely to be removed from office, as two-thirds of the Senate, which is under Democratic control, must vote in favor of his removal. 

The impeachment effort comes after Customs and Border Protection have seen record numbers of illegal immigrant encounters every full year that Mayorkas and President Joe Biden have been in office. 

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