00:00 The yeas are 214 and the nays are 213. The resolution is adopted.
00:05 On Tuesday, the Republican-dominated U.S. House of Representatives impeached
00:10 Homeland Security Chief Alejandro Mayorkas. The measure passed with a slim margin of 214 to 213
00:17 following a failed attempt last week. Republican lawmakers advanced two articles accusing Mayorkas
00:23 of willful and systemic refusal to uphold immigration law and of breach of public trust,
00:30 marking the first impeachment of a cabinet member in nearly 150 years.
00:34 Mayorkas, President Joe Biden's immigration chief, had been under scrutiny for an extended period,
00:40 with Republicans holding him responsible for the surge of migrants illegally crossing the
00:44 southern border. Following Mayorkas' impeachment, President Biden condemned the House's actions,
00:50 denouncing it as a "glaring display of partisan politics" that violated the Constitution.
00:55 "History will not judge House Republicans kindly for their blatant act of unconstitutional
01:00 partisanship, which targets an honorable public servant for petty political gains," Biden asserted.
01:06 Mayorkas now joins the ranks of William Belknap, the Secretary of War impeached in 1876,
01:13 who resigned from President Ulysses S. Grant's administration hours before facing
01:18 formal charges of corruption from the House. Similar to Belknap's Senate acquittal,
01:23 Mayorkas is expected to undergo a similar outcome given the Democrats' control of the other chamber.
01:28 Last week, Mayorkas narrowly escaped removal with a 214 to 216 vote,
01:34 dealing a blow to Speaker Mike Johnson and GOP lawyers. The vote ended in a 215-215 tie
01:40 after a Republican member changed their stance, following the House to revisit the impeachment
01:45 issue. Notably, Representatives Ken Buck of Colorado, Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin,
01:50 and Tom McClintock of California prevented Mayorkas' ousting after Homeland Security
01:56 Committee presider Mark Greene initiated the impeachment articles. However, during Tuesday's
02:01 proceedings, the return of Republican House Majority Leader Steve Scalise tilted the scales
02:06 in favor of the GOP. Republicans have consistently criticized Democrats, citing statistics that show
02:12 migrant encounters at a record high of 302,000 in December alone along the southern border.
02:18 Mayorkas has been held accountable for the alarming situation as more undocumented immigrants
02:23 enter American cities. A Harvard-Harris survey conducted earlier this month revealed that
02:28 immigration is now a significant concern for voters, with 35 percent citing it as their top priority.
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