U.S. lawmakers continue to negotiate over a border policy funding package that has held up aid to Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Congressional Republicans are pushing for the impeachment of the U.S. secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas. They blame Mayorkas for what they say is a poorly managed border security system.
Rep. Marc Molinaro, who represents the Binghamton, Ithaca and Oneonta areas, was one of 60 Republicans who traveled to the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas last week. He blamed the Biden administration, and Mayorkas, for what he called a “system in total collapse.”
“Alejandro Mayorkas should be impeached. You cannot experience what I saw, and listen to the people who work for him, and think that he has met his obligation and oath under the law,” Molinaro said.
The impeachment of a cabinet member over policy decisions would be fairly unprecedented. But it is not the first time Republicans have pushed to impeach Mayorkas. An earlier attempt stalled in November.
“He has failed miserably. He should resign, he should resign and the president should ask for his resignation because that's what leaders do,” Molinaro said. “When I was a county executive, when somebody didn't do their job, I gave them the opportunity to do it. And if they didn't, I removed them from their office.”
The House Committee on Homeland Security plans to hold a hearing on Mayorkas and his handling of the border Wednesday.