Internet slams Joe Biden for dismissing Alejandro Mayorkas' impeachment 'baseless' and 'unconstitutional'

WASHINGTON, DC: The Biden administration issued a firm denouncement on Monday, February 5, against the Republican-led effort to impeach Homeland Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, labeling it as an "unprecedented and unconstitutional" political maneuver.

The statement, obtained by NBC News, condemned the impeachment push as a betrayal of the real challenge facing the nation's southern border security.

Biden administration's defense of Alejandro Mayorkas

In a strongly worded release, the administration highlighted Mayorkas's long-standing commitment to upholding the rule of law, dating back to his tenure in the Justice Department as a US Attorney.

“From his time in the Justice Department as a U.S. Attorney to his service as Deputy Secretary and now Secretary of Homeland Security, he has upheld the rule of law faithfully and has demonstrated a deep commitment to the values that make our Nation great,” the statement said.

“Impeaching Secretary Mayorkas would be an unprecedented and unconstitutional act of political retribution that would do nothing to solve the challenges our Nation faces in securing the border.”

Republicans leading the impeachment charge argue that Mayorkas's tenure has seen record-high illegal border crossings and drug trafficking, necessitating impeachment hearings. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene from Georgia had attempted twice last year to force an impeachment vote against Mayorkas.

Responding to the impeachment proceedings, the administration accused House Republicans of abusing their authority to target a Cabinet-level official for reasons beyond the scope of their jurisdiction.

“The impeachment power was never intended as a device for members of an opposing political party to harass Executive Branch officials over policy disputes,” the statement contended.

“Impeaching Secretary Mayorkas would trivialize this solemn constitutional power and invite more partisan abuse of this authority in the future," read the statement.

Despite the administration's strong rebuttal, the Republican-led House Rules Committee advanced the resolution to impeach Mayorkas in an 8-4 party-line vote on Monday night. The resolution is slated for consideration on the House floor on Tuesday.

Border Security Challenges

Characterizing the impeachment case as "baseless," the administration reiterated its commitment to working with Congress to address border security challenges and strengthen the immigration system, strained by a surge in crossings.

While some Republicans argue that Mayorkas's actions do not meet the constitutional threshold for impeachment, citing the absence of treason or high crimes and misdemeanors, others maintain the urgency of holding him accountable.

The White House had previously issued a memo challenging the impeachment effort on constitutional grounds, likening it to extreme political tactics aimed at overturning the 2020 presidential election and impeaching President Biden.

Initially, Biden himself expressed bewilderment at the impeachment push, stating, "I don’t get it," when questioned about Republican motives by Fox News White House correspondent Jacqui Heinrich.

However, he acknowledged the ongoing challenges at the border, conceding that it is not secure. “No, it’s not,” Biden said. “I haven’t believed that for the last 10 years. And I’ve said it for the last 10 years. Give me the money.”

Under Mayorkas's leadership, the US Border Patrol encountered over 2.2 million migrants crossing the southern border during the 2022 fiscal year, with the number rising to over 2 million in the 2023 fiscal year.

December 2023 witnessed the highest number of migrant encounters on record, with US Customs and Border Protection logging over 302,034 migrant encounters at the southern border.

President Biden, when asked about executive actions to address the border crisis, stated that he had exhausted all available options and appealed for additional resources to tackle the issue effectively.

“I’ve done all I can do. Just give me the power. Give me the border patrol. Give me the people. The judges. Give me the people who can stop this and make it work right,” he stated.

Social Media Backlash

However, the administration's latest defense of Mayorkas drew sharp criticism against Biden on social media, with some users questioning the sincerity of the administration's concerns.

"An unconstitutional impeachment? Somebody needs to come get their grandpa," one posted on X.

"That's pretty bold of Biden to argue that impeaching Trump was unconstitutional," another reacted.

"@AliMayorkas has allowed an invasion. He should be impeached," a comment read.

"He started this mess, both should resign," someone else added.

"Yet he was more than agreeable to impeaching Trump because he was looking into corruption in Ukraine. Unbelievable," another wrote.

That said, Mayorkas stands on the brink of becoming only the second Cabinet secretary in US history to face impeachment.