In The News

By Gettysburg Connection

In a historic decision yesterday, Congressman Scott Perry of Pennsylvania’s 10th District joined his colleagues in a narrow party-line vote of 214-213 to impeach Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. This landmark vote marks the first impeachment of a cabinet secretary in approximately 150 years, setting a significant precedent in American political history.

The impeachment follows what Congressman Perry described as a “comprehensive Congressional investigation” into Secretary Mayorkas’ handling of immigration policies, which Perry and his colleagues argue has led to a “reprehensible border crisis.” According to Perry, Mayorkas’ actions represent  “lawless behavior” under President Biden’s administration, specifically criticizing what he terms “Biden’s open border policies.”

Perry emphasized the importance of accountability, stating, “His perpetuation of Biden’s open border policies demands accountability to our constituents. Impeachment is the best tool available to show the American People some level of accountability for Biden’s blatant disregard of the law.”

The House’s charges against Secretary Mayorkas include “high crimes and misdemeanors,” accusing him of a “willful and systemic refusal to comply with the law” regarding immigration and a “breach of the public trust.” With the impeachment proceedings moving to the Senate, Perry expressed a desire for the American public to witness the evidence of what he alleges to be Mayorkas’ crimes during the upcoming trial.

Despite the historic vote, the charges against Secretary Mayorkas are anticipated to face significant challenges in the Senate, where a Democratic majority is likely to reject the impeachment charges.

Only the House of Representatives can initiate an impeachment. The Senate, however, has the power to vote down an impeachment trial.

Under the impeachment process, Congress can charge and try a federal official for “treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors,” but the definition of “high crimes and misdemeanors” was not specified in the constitution.

The House has only ever impeached one other cabinet official – Secretary of War William Belknap in 1876 – and that was over serious corruption allegations rather than a straightforward policy disagreement.

The unprecedented move underscores deep divisions within the U.S. government over immigration policy and the enforcement of laws at the border, reflecting broader national debates over the direction of Homeland Security and immigration enforcement in the United States.

To read the full text of H.R. 2, click here. 

View the original article here: https://gettysburgconnection.org/perry-votes-to-impeach-dhs-secretary-alejandro-mayorkas/