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The Department of Homeland Security is bringing on a personal regulation agency to assist with potential impeachment proceedings towards Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, in accordance with three sources acquainted with the matter.
House Republicans have been transferring to construct a case towards Mayorkas as they contemplate launching uncommon impeachment proceedings towards a Cabinet secretary.
“The Department of Homeland Security has retained outside counsel to help ensure the Department’s vital mission is not interrupted by the unprecedented, unjustified, and partisan impeachment efforts by some Members of Congress, who have already taken steps to initiate proceedings,” a Homeland Security spokesperson mentioned.
“DHS will continue prioritizing its work to protect our country from terrorism, respond to natural disasters, and secure our borders while responding appropriately to the over 70 Congressional committees and subcommittees that have oversight of DHS,” the spokesperson mentioned.
The regulation agency is Debevoise & Plimpton, in accordance with one supply. While the Department of Homeland Security Office of General Counsel has varied attorneys to cope with issues, together with immigration and cybersecurity, the surface agency is being introduced in on a authorities contract and solely be utilized to the extent it’s wanted all through the method, one other supply mentioned.
Debevoise & Plimpton declined to remark.
It’s exceedingly uncommon for a Cabinet secretary to be impeached, one thing that has solely occurred as soon as in US historical past – when William Belknap, the secretary of conflict, was impeached by the House earlier than being acquitted by the Senate in 1876.
Republican lawmakers have argued that Mayorkas’ claims of getting operational management of the border are unfounded and that the document arrests mark a dereliction of obligation – two themes which have come up repeatedly in congressional hearings and have been cited as purpose to question the DHS secretary.
Over latest weeks, key committee chairman already held two congressional hearings over the Biden administration’s dealing with of the US-Mexico border. Earlier this month, the House Judiciary Committee, which might have jurisdiction over an impeachment decision, held its first border-related listening to.
“These numbers make clear that the Biden administration does not have operational control of the border,” House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan mentioned throughout a February listening to. “Month after month after month, we have set records for migrants coming into the country and frankly, I think it’s intentional.”
Mayorkas has beforehand mentioned his division will cooperate with committees which might be conducting oversight. Asked by reporters whether or not launching impeachment proceedings towards the secretary was private, Mayorkas mentioned: “If somebody else was in this position do you think that vitriol would be less? I don’t take it personally. I take my work personally.”
The Biden administration faces unprecedented motion throughout the Western hemisphere that has contributed to a surge of migrants on the border, together with extra individuals from totally different international locations, corresponding to Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua. The US is basically barred from deporting migrants to Cuba and Venezuela, presenting a novel set of challenges for DHS.
US border authorities encountered migrants greater than 2.3 million occasions alongside the US-Mexico border in fiscal yr 2022, in accordance with US Customs and Border Protection knowledge. Of these, greater than 1 million migrants have been turned away on the border.
In early January, the Biden administration expanded a humanitarian parole program to incorporate Haitians, Venezuelans, Nicaraguans and Cubans to offer a authorized pathway for them to enter the US as a substitute of crossing the border. The administration additionally made these nationalities eligible for Title 42, which means they will now be turned away by authorities in the event that they don’t apply for this system.
Since then, there was a major decline in migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela crossing the US-Mexico border unlawfully, in accordance with the Department of Homeland Security, which attributed the drop to new border measures.
This story has been up to date with extra particulars.
Source: www.cnn.com