The current House Republican Leader, Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) on Tuesday called on Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to step down over record-high U.S.-Mexico border migrant crossings, threatening him with impeachment when Republicans take the majority next year.
McCarthy, who has been deal-making with his fellow House Republicans in an effort to be elected Speaker when the new Congress is sworn in in January, spoke at a news conference near the U.S.-Mexico border in El Paso, Texas.
Calling on Mayorkas to resign, he said if the DHS Secretary doesn’t do so, House Republicans will “investigate” whether to begin impeachment proceedings in the 118th Congress.
“Our country may never recover from Secretary Mayorkas’ dereliction of duty,” said McCarthy. “This is why today, I am calling on the secretary to resign.”
DHS spokesperson Marsha Espinosa rejected McCarthy’s call, saying, “Secretary Mayorkas is proud to advance the noble mission of this Department, support its extraordinary workforce, and serve the American people.”
She added, “He has no plans to resign.”
