'Dumbest exercise': Pro-Trump senator blasts House GOP’s impeachment of Mayorkas

14 February 2024

The House of Representatives voted to impeach Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas by just one vote on Tuesday night, with three Republicans joining all Democrats in opposition. With the impeachment now headed to certain defeat in the Democratic-controlled US Senate, some Republicans in the chamber are publicly grumbling about the stunt.

After the 214-213 vote, the Homeland Security secretary will face an impeachment trial as the U.S. Constitution requires, meaning the U.S. Senate will have to postpone other business to hear both sides. This won't happen until at least February 26, as senators are currently not in Washington. In order to actually remove Mayorkas from office, two-thirds of the U.S. Senate would need to vote for conviction, meaning of the 52 Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents, 19 would have to side with Republicans.

Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota) told NBC News that the matter of impeachment and removal was "obviously dead on arrival," adding that it was the "worst, dumbest exercise and use of time" for lawmakers in the upper chamber of Congress.

Republicans argued that Mayorkas was derelict in his duties, citing the ongoing influx of migrants at the Southern border as a key factor in their push to remove him.

"From his first day in office, Secretary Mayorkas has willfully and consistently refused to comply with federal immigration laws, fueling the worst border catastrophe in American history," House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) stated. "He has undermined public trust through multiple false statements to Congress, obstructed lawful oversight of the Department of Homeland Security, and violated his oath of office."

However, NBC reported that Mayorkas was involved in the drafting of bipartisan legislation to address issues at the border and allocate an additional $14 billion in funding. Still, Republicans promptly sunk the bill after former President Donald Trump repeatedly attacked it Sen. James Lankford (R-Oklahoma), who was the lead Republican negotiator, defended the doomed bill in a passionate floor speech before it was ultimately rejected by his fellow Republicans. The legislation was repeatedly described as the "most conservative" immigration package in decades, and included numerous GOP policy priorities.

Trump has made securing the Southern border a common refrain of his campaign speeches, and publicly urged Republicans to not support any new border policies until he returned to office so he could take credit for them.

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