Senate Republicans Push for Comprehensive Impeachment Trial of Alejandro Mayorkas
4 min read
U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas testifies before the Senate Appropriations committee as lawmakers in the U.S. Congress struggle to reach a deal to head off a looming partial government shutdown less than two weeks away on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., November 8, 2023. REUTERS/Julia Nikhinson
The political landscape in the United States has been abuzz with the latest development in the Senate, as a group of Senate Republicans are urging for a comprehensive impeachment trial against Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. This comes after the House of Representatives voted to impeach Mayorkas last week, marking the first time a Cabinet secretary has been impeached in nearly 150 years.
The impeachment effort, which was led by House Republicans, accused Mayorkas of “willful and systemic refusal to comply with the law” and a “breach of public trust.” However, the Democratic-controlled Senate is expected to quickly dismiss the effort, making the Republican push for a trial all the more significant.
In a letter obtained by CBS News, 13 Senate Republicans, including Sens. Mike Lee, Ted Cruz, Eric Schmitt, Rick Scott, Ron Johnson, J.D. Vance, Roger Marshall, Josh Hawley, Mike Braun, Tommy Tuberville, Ted Budd, Cynthia Lummis, and Marsha Blackburn, urged Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell to “join us in our efforts” to oppose Democratic efforts to “shirk their Constitutional duty.”
The group warned that Senate Democrats intend to vote to table the articles of impeachment once a trial begins, condemning the move as “an action rarely contemplated and never taken by the U.S. Senate in the history of our Republic.” They argued that if a similar strategy was employed by Senate Republicans when they were in the majority, the opposition would be fierce and the volume from Democrats would be deafening.
McConnell’s office declined to comment on the letter. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s office, on the other hand, announced that the upper chamber will start Mayorkas’ impeachment trial after senators return to Washington on Feb. 26. However, exactly how the Senate will proceed beyond that is an open question.
Although precedent dictates that the chamber will move quickly to trial, what that looks like has been subject to debate. And while the Senate must schedule a trial, a simple majority in the chamber could pursue a number of avenues to speed through, delay, or dismiss the effort outright. Democrats control 51 seats, including three Democratic-leaning independents, meaning Republicans would have little recourse if the majority remains united.
Schumer’s office also announced that House impeachment managers would present the article of impeachment to the Senate when lawmakers return from recess next week, at which point senators will be sworn in as jurors in the trial. Democratic Sen. Patty Murray, the Senate pro tempore, will preside.
In another letter, Sen. Rick Scott urged Vice President Kamala Harris to oversee the Senate impeachment trial, rather than Murray. “Our states and cities face an ongoing and widespread crisis due to the flood of illegal immigrants streaming across our southern and northern borders and moving freely within the interior of the homeland,” he wrote. “As the President of the Senate, you are the appropriate constitutional presiding officer to oversee the impeachment trial of Secretary Mayorkas, and I encourage you to fulfill that role when the Senate reconvenes later this month.”
The push for a comprehensive impeachment trial comes as Mayorkas faces criticism over his handling of the border crisis. The Republican-led House impeachment effort accused him of failing to secure the border and enforce immigration laws. Mayorkas has defended his actions, arguing that the Biden administration is working to address the root causes of migration and improve the asylum process.
The impeachment trial, if it proceeds, will be a significant political event. It will test the limits of the Senate’s constitutional power and provide a platform for both parties to make their cases to the American people. The outcome, however, is all but certain, with Democrats holding the majority and the impeachment effort unlikely to gain traction.
Despite this, the Republican push for a trial underscores the deep divisions within the political landscape and the ongoing debate over immigration policy. It also highlights the role of the Senate as a crucial institution in the American political system, tasked with upholding the Constitution and providing a forum for the resolution of political disputes.
In conclusion, the push for a comprehensive impeachment trial of Alejandro Mayorkas by a group of Senate Republicans is a significant development in the ongoing political debate over immigration policy and the role of the Senate in the American political system. While the outcome of the trial is all but certain, the Republican effort underscores the deep divisions within the political landscape and the ongoing debate over immigration policy. The trial, if it proceeds, will provide a platform for both parties to make their cases to the American people and test the limits of the Senate’s constitutional power.
