Speaker of the House hopeful Kevin McCarthy (D-CA) demanded during a press conference on the U.S. southern border that DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas resign from his position or face possible impeachment by the House, citing him as a threat to national security.
McCarthy said Republicans will hold hearings on Mayorkas’s handling of the border situation. During President Joe Biden’s tenure, Border Patrol has had an estimated 5.5 million encounters with illegal immigrants, more than any similar period in history.
“Our country may never recover from Secretary Mayorkas’s dereliction of duty,” McCarthy said. “This is why, today, I am calling on the Secretary to resign. He cannot and must not remain in that position.”
Hearings at the border
McCarthy said Republicans will hold hearings at the border to force Democrats to travel there and see the conditions the Biden administration has created with the help of congressional Democrats.
“We will hold our hearings at the border so the Democrats can no longer hide from the crisis they have created,” McCarthy said.
Mayorkas has “empowered cartels, human traffickers, and terrorist organizations all around the world” at the behest of Biden, McCarthy said.
“Now let me be clear, those responsible for this disaster will be held accountable. I’ve spoken today again to Congressman Jim Jordan and James Comer, the future chair of the Oversight and Judiciary Committee,” McCarthy said.
“They have my complete support to investigate the collapse of our border and the shutdown of [Immigration and Customs Enforcemnet] enforcement nationwide,” McCarthy continued.
Brace yourself
Around 1.4 million illegal immigrants have been released into American communities even though only a fraction of these will likely win asylum.
Many will fail to appear at their hearings and add to the number of illegal immigrants hiding in society to avoid deportation, if history is any indication.
The numbers could rise exponentially, however, now that Title 42, which has been keeping most illegal immigrants out of the country for health reasons, has been struck down by the courts.