US Senate Rejects Impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Over 'Border Control Failure'

The U.S. Senate, led by the Republican Party, rejected the impeachment resolution against Alejandro Mayorkas, Secretary of Homeland Security, which had been passed by the House of Representatives.

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

According to The New York Times (NYT), on the 17th (local time), the Senate voted 51 in favor and 48 against to dismiss the impeachment resolution against Secretary Mayorkas, ruling that both impeachment charges against him were 'unconstitutional.'

Earlier, the Republican-controlled House of Representatives approved the impeachment resolution, holding Secretary Mayorkas responsible for the failure of border control based on the surge of illegal entries at the southern border in recent years. At that time, 214 out of 219 Republican House members voted in favor.

However, unlike the House, the impeachment resolution did not pass the Senate, where the Democratic Party holds the majority. To pass the Senate, a two-thirds majority is required, but currently, the Senate consists of 51 seats held by the Democratic Party and Democratic-leaning independent senators out of 100 seats.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of the Democratic Party stated, "Cabinet members cannot be impeached or removed simply because they implement the administration's policies," calling the House's impeachment attempt a 'serious abuse' and a 'grave mistake.'

The Senate's dismissal decision was concluded in less than three hours. In response, Republican lawmakers criticized the Democrats for not conducting a questioning process for Secretary Mayorkas, calling it a dangerous precedent that avoids the Senate's constitutional duties.

On the other hand, Democratic lawmakers countered that the Republican-led impeachment attempt was illegal and politicized. They explained it as a kind of political offensive to highlight criticism of the Biden administration's immigration policy ahead of the U.S. presidential election in November. Leader Schumer responded to Republican criticism of procedural violations by saying, "The dangerous precedent was set by the Republicans."

Mia Ehrenberg, spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, stated, "Today's Senate decision rejecting the baseless attacks by Republican House members against Secretary Mayorkas clearly proves that there is no evidence or constitutional basis to justify impeachment."