WASHINGTON (Reuters): The Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday narrowly voted to impeach Democratic President Joe Biden’s top border official, as immigration shapes up to be a major issue in this year’s elections.
By a vote of 214-213, the House approved two articles of impeachment accusing Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas of not enforcing U.S. immigration laws, which Republicans argue led to record flows of migrants across the U.S.-Mexico border, and making false statements to Congress.
The vote marked just the second time in U.S. history, and the first time in almost 150 years, that the House has impeached a member of a president’s Cabinet. Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s office said that senators would be sworn in as jurors shortly after they return from a break on Feb. 26.
The Democratic-led chamber is highly unlikely, however, to vote to remove Mayorkas from office.
A record number of migrants have illegally crossed the border from Mexico since Biden took office in 2021, and former President Donald Trump has made it a major focus of his campaign against Biden.
Tuesday’s vote reversed an embarrassing legislative defeat that Speaker Mike Johnson suffered last week when a similar effort fell short. Republican Representative Steve Scalise, who missed last week’s vote while he received treatment for cancer, provided the deciding vote on Tuesday.
Republicans hold a slim 219-212 majority in the House.
“Secretary Mayorkas has willfully and consistently refused to comply with federal immigration laws, fueling the worst border catastrophe in American history,” Johnson said following the vote.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll last month showed that immigration was voters’ No. 2 concern, following the economy.
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