Biden's DHS Secretary Admits He Should Have Acted Earlier Against Illegal Immigration
Between 2021 and 2025, Alejandro Mayorkas was at the helm of the Department of Homeland Security. He was one of the most criticized officials by Republican lawmakers, who even unsuccessfully pushed for an impeachment attempt.
Alejandro Mayorkas, secretary of homeland security under Joe Biden/ Saul Loeb.
Alejandro Mayorkas, secretary of Homeland Security under President Joe Biden, acknowledged that the Biden administration should have acted sooner to address the border crisis of the past four years. During his years in office, Mayorkas was one of the most criticized officials by Republican lawmakers, who even unsuccessfully pushed for an impeachment attempt.
Between January 2021 and January 2025, it is estimated that more than 7 million people entered illegally during that period, a number larger than the population of 36 states. Indeed, restoring order on the southern border was one of Donald Trump's big campaign promises.
According to a poll mouth by Pew Research Center, six in 10 voters said immigration was very important to their vote, up nine percentage points from 2020 and up 13 points from the 2022 midterm elections.
Mayorkas, who opted to keep a low profile following Trump's inauguration, participated in the Security Summit of Politico, where he was asked about his performance at the helm of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
There, the former official highlighted the measures implemented in mid-2024, just four months before the presidential election: "I was very pleased that in June 2024 we took executive action that, in my view, implemented sensible reforms and that proved successful."
"Our tougher border stance in June of ‘24 was coupled with an increased focus on providing lawful pathways for people to arrive at the United States outside the hands of smugglers—more secure and more humanitarian," Mayorkas added.
Asked whether the Biden Administration should have acted sooner to address the border crisis, he said he would feel "more reassured" if Biden had acted sooner. "I am not in a position to speculate, but I will tell you that I would be far more better rested and less punchy," he added.
Finally, Mayorkas highlighted some of the work being done by the current DHS secretary, Markwayne Mullin: "It is my understanding that Secretary Mullin is investing a considerable amount of time and effort in the well-being of the workforce, and I think that pays tremendous dividends when it comes to the achievement of the department’s mission."
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