House questions Mayorkas on immigration crisis, impeachment call renewed

U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas testified Wednesday before the House Judiciary Committee on the policies implemented at the southern border that have sparked an immigration crisis.

Predictably, Mayorkas defended this administration's decisions, noting that while its immigration system is "fundamentally flawed, it is working."

"Unlawful entries between ports of entry along the southwest border have consistently decreased by more than half compared to the peak before the end of Title 42," he said based on statistics recently released by Customs and Border Protection showing a 42% decrease in encounters between May and June 2023.

However, crossings in the border area remain extremely high. Customs and Border Protection data reveal that by the end of fiscal year 2023, the number of illegal immigrant crossings will be at a record high.

Ohio Republican Rep. Jim Jordan, the panel's chairman, noted that despite Mayorkas' efforts to "paint a rosy picture," the "disastrous mismanagement" at the border has been evident.

During the hearing, the Republicans also highlighted the major fentanyl crisis and blamed the security official for the deaths resulting from the drug.

"Mr. Secretary, it is your responsibility to secure our border against fentanyl trafficking. The fentanyl killing thousands of Americans every year is a direct result of your dereliction. When people die of fentanyl poisoning, it is your fault," Colorado Republican Rep. Ken Buck told him.

Rep. Jeff Van Drew took advantage of the hearing to ask Mayorkas if he doesn't think he should resign over his mismanagement. However, the secretary said he would not do so, to which Van Drew responded that he then left no choice and should be indicted.