Jefferson Reporter

WASHINGTON, D.C., April 12, 2024 — U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), and 41 Republican Senate colleagues have urged Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to hold a trial to consider the impeachment of U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

In a letter addressed to Schumer, the Senators expressed concerns about the situation at the southern border, stating, "Our brave men and women at Customs and Border Protection have worked tirelessly to make our nation safer, yet with 7.5 million encounters since President Biden took office, our southern border is a national security disaster." They highlighted a 440% increase in encounters in fiscal year 2023 compared to fiscal year 2020, attributing the border crisis to Secretary Mayorkas.

The Senators emphasized the importance of upholding their constitutional duty, noting, "The House of Representatives has considered this evidence and impeached Secretary Mayorkas. Our constitutional duty requires the Senate to hold a trial." They underscored the historical significance of this duty, stating, "In every previous congressional impeachment of the past 227 years, Congress has been faithful to the process set out by the framers… Never before has the Senate abandoned this duty, even when certain members believed the basis for impeachment was tenuous at best."

Senator Katie Britt added, “Amid an unprecedented national security and humanitarian crisis at the border, it’s imperative that we get answers and accountability for the American people. The Senate should fulfill its constitutional charge and hold a proper trial in full view of the public.”

The letter was also signed by prominent Republican Senators, including Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and a host of others. This call for action follows Senator Britt's recent questioning of Secretary Mayorkas during a Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee hearing, where she criticized the Biden Administration's budget proposals for DHS, highlighting the lack of strategic investments to secure the border amidst increasing illegal migration.

The full text of the letter can be accessed for further details on the Senators' demands for a trial to address the issues surrounding Secretary Mayorkas.