Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has flouted at least a dozen laws or court orders related to immigration, a House committee charged Wednesday in a new report that lays the groundwork for impeachment proceedings.
The Homeland Security Committee also blamed Mr. Mayorkas for overseeing the unprecedented run on the U.S. border by illegal immigrants over the last 30 months, saying his department’s policies have enticed the migrants to come, and then spread them throughout the U.S.
The committee also identified 24 “lies to Congress” and more than 50 “lies to the American people” from the secretary’s lips.
It’s all evidence, the committee Republicans said, of his “dereliction of duty.”
“Mayorkas has abused his authority as DHS secretary by repeatedly disregarding multiple laws passed by Congress — laws he swore an oath to uphold — including many provisions under the [Immigration and Nationality Act],” the committee said in a 112-page report.
Among the violations cited is overuse of “parole” powers to let in migrants with no legal visa to be here; failure to detain illegal immigrants the law says should be mandatory detainees, based on their criminal histories; and unlawfully expanding asylum avenues.
Among the lies they attributed to Mr. Mayorkas were statements such as saying his department has “operational control” over the border; that it is “promptly” deporting illegal immigrants; and blaming Republicans for enticing the wave of illegal immigration by saying the border is open.
“He knows he is not being honest with the American people,” the committee charged.
The report is the first in a series. The committee said another phase will look at the effects of catching and releasing millions of migrants and the costs incurred by communities.
The report comes as GOP lawmakers try to build a case for impeaching Mr. Mayorkas.
He has brushed aside that possibility, saying he is focused on his job.
Mr. Mayorkas is scheduled to testify to the House Judiciary Committee next week. That committee controls impeachment proceedings.
• Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com.
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