House Speaker Mike Johnson has announced that he will be sending impeachment charges against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to the Senate on Tuesday. The charges allege that Mayorkas has willfully and systematically refused to enforce existing immigration laws. However, the proceedings may be short-lived as Democrats are expected to attempt to dismiss or table the charges before the trial begins.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has indicated that the GOP case against Mayorkas does not meet the constitutional threshold of 'high crimes and misdemeanors' required for impeachment. Schumer is likely to have enough votes to end the trial immediately if he chooses to do so. The Senate will officially begin the proceedings on Wednesday.
While Republicans argue for a full trial to hold Mayorkas accountable for his actions at the southern border, Democrats maintain that impeachment should not be used to settle policy disagreements. The House had previously voted to impeach Mayorkas in February, making him the first Cabinet secretary to face impeachment in nearly 150 years.
If the trial proceeds, Senate Republicans may raise objections to any attempts to dismiss or table the charges, but ultimately, Democrats hold the majority and are expected to oppose the impeachment effort. Some Republicans, like Senator Mitt Romney, have expressed reservations about the trial, questioning whether the constitutional test for impeachment has been met.
Should the Senate move forward with an impeachment trial, it would be the third in five years, following the impeachments of former President Donald Trump. The trial would involve senators sitting through weeks of arguments and potentially calling witnesses to testify.
Mayorkas, meanwhile, has stated that he is focused on his work and hopes that the impeachment proceedings will not detract from his duties. He is scheduled to testify about his budget request to a House committee on the same day the impeachment charges are sent to the Senate.
