Thursday February 15, 2024
U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas holds a press conference at a U.S. Border Patrol station on Jan. 8, 2024 in Eagle Pass, Texas (John Moore/Getty Images).
Minneapolis (HOL) - The U.S. House of Representatives, led by its Republican majority, has impeached Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas over the administration's immigration policies. The vote, narrowly passed at 214-213, marks Mayorkas as the first Cabinet secretary to face such charges in nearly 150 years, accentuating the intense partisan divide over border management and national security.
The impeachment revolves around allegations of Mayorkas' failure to enforce immigration laws and accusations of misleading Congress about the security of the U.S.-Mexico border.
The impeachment comes nearly two weeks after a Somali national with ties to al-Shabaab managed to reside within the U.S. for almost a year due to a critical oversight in the immigration process, despite being apprehended after an illegal crossing at the southern border.
The impeachment also comes at a time of heightened concern over Somali migration, with organizations like Somali Family Services (SFS) in San Diego calling for emergency funding to support migrants affected by recent policy changes, including the lifting of Title 42. The public health order, which expired in May, had previously restricted asylum claims to mitigate COVID-19 spread, leading to a surge in migrant arrivals and straining resources for community support organizations.
SFS President and CEO Ahmed Sahid has highlighted the desperate conditions prompting migration and the essential services required to assist migrants, from shelter and food to medical care and legal aid.