House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy On Tuesday, he called on Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorcas to resign, citing his handling of the immigration crisis at the southern border. Otherwise, he could face an impeachment inquiry when Republicans take control of the House next year.
“His actions created a great wave of illegal immigration in recorded history,” McCarthy said at a press conference in El Paso, Texas, during a tour of the Southern Border. That’s why I’m asking you to resign.”
“He cannot and should not stay in that position,” he said. “If Secretary Mayorcas does not step down, House Republicans will review every order, every action, every failure to determine whether an impeachment inquiry can be launched.”
McCarthy said he spoke with Rep. Jim Jordan and Rep. James Comer, Republican lawmakers on the Judiciary and Oversight Committees, respectively, and said he fully supported investigating the “collapse” of the border. Stated.
“The American people deserve more, they deserve better, they expect more from their government. Enough is enough. We will do whatever it takes,” he said.
McCarthy was leading a delegation to the southern border of El Paso, Texas, days after securing a Republican majority in the upcoming Congress in the House. Ahead of that press conference, McCarthy told Fox News that he plans to hold congressional border hearings physically at the border if he becomes chairman.
A growing number of Republicans are calling for the impeachment of Mallorcas over its handling of the border crisis that has hit the border since early 2021. 2022. In fiscal year 2023, in October he met more than 230,000 immigrants, not in a shape to provide significant relief to overwhelmed border communities. On the other hand, there are more than 2,500 “getaways” per day that bypass Border Patrol agents.
“I can’t trust what Secretary Mayorcas told the country, so I’m going to sit down with a Border Patrol agent and find out first-hand what’s going on today,” McCarthy said before the trip.
Republicans are targeting Mallorcas directly as a focal point for the Biden administration’s leadership on this crisis. He angered Republicans with his repeated claims.
Republicans have accused the administration of fueling the crisis by rolling back Trump-era border policies such as the Remain Mexico policy and curtailing domestic crackdowns. House Republicans in July drafted a blueprint How they secure their borders has included reinstating policies such as the Stay in Mexico policy that keeps immigrants in Mexico while immigration applications are processed.
White House dismisses Southern border visit as Republican ‘political stunt’
The Biden administration blames the crisis on a combination of root causes, including violence, poverty and climate change in Central America, as well as the removal of legal channels by the Trump administration. It has touted efforts to combat smuggling operations, including the arrest of more than 5,000 people in recent operations, while working with other countries on solutions. Venezuelan citizens are returning home under 42, and more checkpoints are being set up to block migration to the north.
But the expansion of Title 42 ends next month after a federal judge found the order illegal and ordered it to be rescinded. It said it had plans to address the termination of the order, including the use of other removal methods, in response to concerns that the
At last week’s hearing, Majorcas said the whole hemisphere We are facing an immigration crisis.
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“The entire hemisphere is suffering from a migration crisis. We’re seeing unprecedented movement of people from country to country. It’s not limited to the southern border,” he told lawmakers at a Senate hearing.
DHS recently suffered a minor leadership crisis when Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Commissioner Chris Magnus stepped down after being told by Mallorcas that he would either resign or be fired.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday the white house pushed back He opposed McCarthy’s trip to the border and argued that despite a framework issued by the Republican Party in July, the Republicans had no plans to resolve the crisis.
White House Press Secretary Carine Jean-Pierre said Tuesday: “McCarthy has no plan. Neither does the Republican Party. They do nothing but political stunts.”
Fox News’ Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.