Marjorie Taylor Greene reintroduces impeachment push against Mayorkas: ‘Lost the trust’ of Americans

Rep Marjorie Taylor Greene, R- Georgia, reintroduced articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Wednesday, after her previous impeachment effort against him failed earlier this month. 

During her remarks on the House floor, Greene said the secretary has "failed to maintain operational control of the border," citing high levels of illegal immigration, including migrants with possible terrorist ties, and violence and drug smuggling, which she called a "direct national security threat."

"Mayorkas has made it easier for illegal aliens and drugs to enter the United States, endangering American citizens and has made it harder for CBP (U.S. Customs and Border Protection) to expel such threats," Greene said. 

DEMOCRATS BLOCK EFFORT TO IMPEACH DHS SECRETARY MAYORKAS WITH REPUBLICAN SUPPORT

She added that Mayorkas' actions are incomparable with his duties and that he has "lost the trust" of Americans. 

A Homeland Security statement to Fox News Digital called Greene's impeachment effort a "baseless attack" that is "completely without merit and a harmful distraction from our critical national security priorities." 

"Every day, the men and women of the Department of Homeland Security work tirelessly to keep America safe," the statement said. "They need Congress to stop wasting time and do its job by reforming our broken immigration system, reauthorizing vital tools for DHS, and passing the Administration’s supplemental request to properly resource the Department’s critical work to stop fentanyl and further secure our borders."

"Secretary Mayorkas continues to be laser-focused on the safety and security of our nation," the statement continued.

GOP REP. TORCHES REPORTER CLAIMING AMERICANS SEE NO EVIDENCE FOR BIDEN IMPEACHMENT: ‘YOU DON’T REPORT ON IT'

Mayorkas has been sharply criticized by Republicans over his handling of the southern border amid record numbers of migrants and illegal activity at the border, in addition to attacks on border agents. 

Greene has been calling for his removal and accused him with "high crimes and misdemeanors" in her latest effort. Her last attempt was thwarted by members of her own party. Eight Republicans joined Democrats in the 209-201 House vote. 

The eight who voted against were Reps. Ken Buck, R-Colo., Darrell Issa, R-Calif., Tom McClintock, R-Calif., Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., John Duarte, R-Calif., Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., Cliff Bentz, R-Ore., and Mike Turner, R-Ohio. 

Additionally, 11 Democrats and 12 Republicans did not vote on the measure.

Greene addressed the failed effort Wednesday on X, formally known as Twitter. 

"While some members, like Tom McClintock, want to bloviate endlessly while imagining themselves wearing a powdered wig, the American people want action," she wrote. "These members whine about ‘due process’ while protecting Mayorkas from facing accountability for his violation of our border security laws."

"Impeachment IS due process. It would put Mayorkas in front of the Senate to face trial," she added. "We’ve seen the evidence of him breaking the law. It’s time for the Senate to try him for it."

Mayorkas impeachment flop marks latest blow to GOP efforts to tackle border crisis

A defeat for House Republicans in their efforts to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas Monday marks the latest blow to Republicans in Congress as they seek to move forward with solutions to the ongoing crisis at the southern border.

Eight Republicans joined with House Democrats in voting to table a motion that would have impeached Secretary Mayorkas, a move that Republicans have been teasing since they took the House in early 2023.

While it does not necessarily mark the end of impeachment efforts against Mayorkas — an investigation is still ongoing into his conduct in the House Homeland Security Committee — it is a significant defeat for Republicans in the House.

DEMOCRATS BLOCK EFFORT TO IMPEACH DHS SECRETARY MAYORKAS WITH REPUBLICAN SUPPORT 

The Department of Homeland Security responded by urging Republicans to stop "wasting time and to do its job by funding the government, reforming our broken immigration system, reauthorizing vital tools for DHS and passing the administration’s supplemental request to properly resource the department’s critical work to stop fentanyl and further secure our borders.

"Secretary Mayorkas continues to be laser-focused on the safety and security of our nation. This baseless attack is completely without merit and a harmful distraction from our critical national security priorities," the statement added.

The defeat comes after Republicans upset conservatives and border hawks earlier this year when they tried and failed to attach H.R. 2 — the House Republicans’ signature border security and asylum overhaul legislation — to a continuing resolution to keep the federal government open. 

Instead, the House ended up passing a "clean" continuing resolution, which in turn led to the ouster of Speaker Kevin McCarthy. On Tuesday evening, the House passed another continuing resolution to avoid a pre-holiday season shutdown. That too did not contain policy riders, including those related to border security.

In the upper chamber, Senate Republicans last week introduced a series of border security proposals to be included as part of negotiations over the White House’s supplemental aid request. That package is expected to contain funding for Israel, Ukraine and the border. 

WHITE HOUSE, SENATE DEMS REJECT GOP BORDER SECURITY PROPOSALS: ‘TOTAL NON-STARTER’ 

However, the initial Republican proposals were immediately rejected by Senate Democrats as a "non-starter," while the White House also dismissed the proposals. Immigration hawks, meanwhile, were critical that the proposals missed out on some parts of H.R. 2.

"If Republicans want to have a serious conversation about reforms that will improve our immigration system, we are open to a discussion. We disagree with many of the policies contained in the new Senate Republican border proposal," a White House spokesperson said.

However, negotiations are still ongoing as a bipartisan Senate group discusses potential provisions that could be included in a supplemental aid package with support for Ukraine. But it remains to be seen what such a package will look like. Legislation would need to pass both the GOP-controlled House and prevent a Senate filibuster in the Democrat-controlled chamber.

In the House, some conservative Republicans have been sounding the alarm and criticizing their own caucus’ work so far, including the failure to pass border security legislation. 

"We promised the American people we would stand athwart this administration, cut spending, secure the border. We've delivered on none of that so far," Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, told "Cavuto: Coast to Coast" Tuesday.

Roy also warned that, in terms of upcoming negotiations, he would not be receptive if lawmakers "try and sell me something and call it border security if it's not."

"Don't come to me with some nonsense with Ukraine and border security that doesn't actually secure the border, or we're going to have to call BS on that," he said.

Immigration hawks have also told Republicans they should keep the border at the top of their priority list.

"The border crisis is only getting worse, and Republicans' resolve to fix it cannot fade as budget negotiations continue," Lora Ries, director of the Heritage Foundation’s Border Security and Immigration Center, told Fox News Digital. 

"In the matter of just a few days, the House has let Mayorkas skate on impeachment while the Senate works on a proposal to undermine H.R. 2, which is the only serious solution to the crisis we face. A border disaster of this magnitude must not fall to the back burner in favor of politics and wrong priorities."

The border crisis continues. Numbers published by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Tuesday show there were more than 249,000 migrant encounters in October, down only slightly from the monthly record set in September, when there were more than 269,000 encounters.

Republicans have continued to blame the policies of the Biden administration for the crisis, while the administration has called for more funding and policy changes to fix what it says is a "broken" system.

Fox News' Brandon Gillespie contributed to this report.

Migrant crisis could cost taxpayers hundreds of billions of dollars a year: GOP report

A new House Homeland Security Committee report has found that the ongoing migrant crisis at the southern border could cos taxpayers hundreds of billions of dollars each year, as Republicans blame what they say are "open borders" policies from the Biden administration.

The report is the committee’s fourth interim report on DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas’ handling of the border crisis, which saw more than 2.4 million migrant encounters at the southern border in FY 23. The report focuses on the financial costs of the crisis, which it attributes to the Biden administration’s policies.

"Only a small fraction [of the costs] is ever recouped from the taxes paid by illegal aliens, with the rest falling on the shoulders of American citizens and lawful residents," the report says. "Mass illegal immigration, accelerated by Mayorkas’ open-borders policies, now represents a massive cost to the federal government and state governments alike, as well as the pocketbooks of private citizens and businesses.

MIGRANT ENCOUNTERS AT SOUTHERN BORDER SET NEW RECORD FOR OCTOBER: DATA

It cites studies by the hawkish Center for Immigration Studies, which found that the annual cost to care for and house illegal immigrants could reach up to $451 billion. It separately cites estimates from the Federation for American Immigration Reform, which advocates for lower immigration levels, that the annual net burden as of 2022 is more than $150 billion.

It also points to the costs of housing and sheltering — particularly in the enormous costs seen in cities like New York City where tens of thousands of migrants have traveled after being released into the U.S., and the costs to ranchers and local businesses near the border. New York City Mayor Eric Adams earlier this year estimated the city's crisis alone could cost $12 billion by 2025. 

"It is morally unacceptable that American taxpayer dollars should be funneled to those who violate our laws and demand expansive, taxpayer-funded benefits like education, health care, housing, and more. Many of these individuals will likely represent a drain on American society for the remainder of their days in the United States, constantly absorbing more benefits from the state than they ever contribute — to say nothing of the fact that they have no lawful basis to remain in the country to begin with," the report says.

"Mayorkas’ policies have enabled this mass waste and abuse of taxpayer resources. His policies and actions have encouraged millions of people to cross our borders illegally. His department has released millions of illegal aliens into the United States rather than detaining or removing them, as required by law. And there is no end in sight," it says.

The report drew criticism from DHS, which accused Republicans of wasting time on attacking Mayorkas.

STATE AGS URGE SPEAKER JOHNSON TO EXPEDITE BILL GIVING STATES POWER TO TACKLE ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION 

"While the House Majority has wasted months trying to score points with baseless attacks, Secretary Mayorkas has been doing his job and working to keep Americans safe," a DHS spokesperson said. "Under his leadership, the Department of Homeland Security is stopping unprecedented amounts of fentanyl from entering the country, countering threats from the Chinese government, helping communities recover from natural disasters, and working to protect our nation from cyberattacks, terrorism, and targeted violence." 

"Instead of continuing their reckless impeachment charades and attacks on law enforcement, Congress should work with us to keep our country safe, build on the progress DHS is making, and deliver desperately needed reforms for our broken immigration system that only legislation can fix," they said.

DHS has also previously highlighted its efforts to support states and communities hit by the migrant crisis, including $770 million to 69 organizations in the last fiscal year to support those receiving migrants, as well as moves including speeding up work permit applications and teams of experts to provide services in cities like New York and Boston.

Democrats on the committee were similarly critical of the report. Ranking Member Bennie Thompson said it is a "bald-faced lie that immigrants are a financial burden on our country — a claim that has been consistently debunked by immigration experts on both the right and left for decades."

"This report, full of racist rhetoric for the extreme MAGA base of the Republican Party, is just the latest attempt to get support for Republicans’ completely baseless attempt to impeach Secretary Mayorkas. Instead of politically motivated attacks on the Secretary, Republicans should support Democrats’ efforts to provide border personnel the resources they need," he said.

The White House has requested $14 billion for border operations, which includes grants to local governments, and more immigration officers to speed up work documents for migrants. The Biden administration has also called for a comprehensive immigration reform bill to be passed in Congress — but Republicans have rejected it due to the inclusion of a pathway to citizenship for millions of illegal immigrants.

Republicans, meanwhile, have passed their own immigration and border security legislation — which includes border wall construction and limits on parole and asylum — but that has so far been rejected by Democrats.

Democrats block effort to impeach DHS Secretary Mayorkas with Republican support

House Democrats, with the help of a small group of Republicans, on Monday successfully blocked an effort led by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., to impeach Homeland Security Sec. Alejandro Mayorkas in a straight up or down vote.

The final vote tally was 209-201, with eight Republicans joining all Democrats in support of the latter party's motion to stop that floor vote, and instead refer the impeachment resolution introduced by Greene to the House Homeland Security Committee. Twenty-four members — 12 Democrats and 12 Republicans — did not vote on the measure.

The eight Republicans who joined Democrats included Reps. Ken Buck, R-Colo., Darrell Issa, R-Calif., Tom McClintock, R-Calif., Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., John Duarte, R-Calif., Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., Cliff Bentz, R-Ore., and Mike Turner, R-Ohio. 

WH DISMISSES REPORTER ASKING IF BIDEN 'EMBARRASSED' ABOUT LIBERAL CITY'S ‘TOTAL MAKEOVER’ BEFORE XI VISIT

Greene introduced the resolution to impeach Mayorkas on Thursday, which would have forced a vote on impeachment without a hearing or a committee markup. If voted on and passed, it would have sent his impeachment straight to the Senate for trial.

The Department of Homeland Security responded to the vote with a statement accusing Congress of "wasting time," and calling on it to "do its job by funding the government, reforming our broken immigration system, reauthorizing vital tools for DHS, and passing the Administration’s supplemental request to properly resource the Department’s critical work to stop fentanyl and further secure our borders."

"Secretary Mayorkas continues to be laser-focused on the safety and security of our nation. This baseless attack is completely without merit and a harmful distraction from our critical national security priorities," the statement read.

KARINE JEAN-PIERRE'S CLAIM BIDEN ‘HAS DONE EVERYTHING’ TO FIX BORDER CRISIS MET WITH MOCKERY: ‘SPEAKS VOLUMES’

Mayorkas has faced increased calls for his impeachment over the past year concerning his handling of the border crisis. At the same time, Republican lawmakers have repeatedly raised concerns about the risk to national security and public safety posed by the numbers of illegal immigrants evading overwhelmed Border Patrol agents amid the crisis.

Under Mayorkas, migrant encounters at the southern border hit an all-time record in September with a massive 260,000 encounters as border officials continue struggling to cope with the large influx, sources told Fox News Digital.

Last month, Mayorkas confirmed that over 600,000 illegal immigrants evaded law enforcement at the southern border during fiscal year 2023.

Fox News' Adam Shaw and Tyler Olson contributed to this report.

House may vote on impeaching Mayorkas without a motion to table: source

A senior House Republican leadership source says the House will likely hold a vote Tuesday on impeaching Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

Fox is told to expect a straight up or down vote on a privileged resolution to impeach Mayorkas, which Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., introduced Thursday morning.

The source suggested it would be unlikely a motion to table or set the measure aside is introduced. Such a vote could serve as a fig leaf to protect members who make a lot of noise about impeaching Mayorkas but may be unwilling to vote on the record.

JOSH HAWLEY CALLS OUT MAYORKAS FOR HAVING 'NO ANSWERS' ON DHS EMPLOYEE PRAISING HAMAS: 'TOTALLY INEXCUSABLE'

If that’s the case, Mayorkas could be impeached without a hearing or a committee markup.

That would automatically trigger a process that would compel the House to send articles of impeachment for Mayorkas and impeachment managers to the Senate.

That does not necessarily mean there would be a Senate trial. But the Democrat-controlled Senate would have to receive the articles of impeachment from the House.

MAYORKAS CONFIRMS OVER 600,000 ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS EVADED LAW ENFORCEMENT AT SOUTHERN BORDER LAST FISCAL YEAR

Such a turn of events could be extraordinary considering how many Republicans spoke about "process." Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., prevented an effort this spring by Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., to impeach President Biden. The House extinguished the effort by dispatching the Boebert impeachment gambit of the president to committee.

McCarthy often spoke about handling impeachments "by the book." That involves depositions, hearings and a markup on the articles of impeachment themselves. None of that has happened with Mayorkas.

HOUSE HOMELAND SECURITY GOP REPORT ACCUSES MAYORKAS OF CEDING BORDER CONTROL TO CARTELS

Notably, the House voted to table an effort last week to expel Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., largely because he had not received "due process." The House Ethics Committee had not finished a report on Santos nor held a public hearing. A report on Santos is due by Nov. 17. 

But many lawmakers from both sides opposed expelling Santos out of concern for due process.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., spoke out on Fox about potentially expelling Santos because of "due process."

But now it’s possible the House could impeach Mayorkas without the usual parliamentary mechanics that come with that special congressional power.

That said, it’s possible the House could reject an effort to impeach Mayorkas. That could be an embarrassment for hardline Republicans who have talked about impeaching Mayorkas for months — yet possibly stumbled when an actual impeachment resolution went to the floor.

Conservative group urges Republicans, next speaker not to ‘squander’ chance to fix border crisis

A top conservative group is warning Republicans that the next speaker should not "squander" what it sees as an opportunity to push for greater border security and pass a GOP overhaul to solve the migrant crisis -- while urging caution on funding requests without policy changes that are tied to assistance to Israel.

The Heritage Foundation is publishing a brief, a copy of which was obtained ahead of publication by Fox News Digital, telling Republicans that an incoming speaker "cannot squander another opportunity to end the Biden border crisis."

The brief argues that Republicans missed an opportunity to address the border crisis by agreeing to a spending agreement last month that did not include the Secure the Border Act (H.R. 2) -- the House Republican signature border and asylum reform.

WHITE HOUSE FUNDING REQUEST INCLUDES $14 BILLION FOR BORDER AS CRISIS HITS NEW RECORDS

"On September 30, just hours before a government shutdown and the Democrat-controlled Senate’s refusal to act, Congress did the exact opposite: It passed a 47-day Continuing Resolution (CR) to keep the border and government open," Heritage’s Border Security and Immigration Center Director Lora Ries and visiting advisor RJ Hauman argue.

Other proposed versions of a CR had included the legislation, which passed the House earlier this year but has not yet been voted on in the Senate. Border hawks argued that linking it to funding the government was the best chance of getting the legislation, or a version of it, passed amid an ongoing crisis at the southern border. However, a "clean" CR was passed instead.

H.R. 2 would restart border wall construction, increase the number of Border Patrol agents, limit the use of parole to release migrants into the interior, re-establish the Migrant Protection Protocols, tighten the "credible fear" standard and expand penalties for visa overstays among other reforms.

Now, as the speaker’s race rolls on in the House and the Hamas terror attack on Israel has refocused concerns about the border, Ries and Hauman argue that Republicans and the new speaker "must intensify efforts to secure the border and ensure that our immigration laws are enforced."

HIGH MIGRANT NUMBERS BREAK MULTIPLE RECORDS IN NEW BLOW TO BIDEN BORDER STRATEGY 

"Congress should continue to defund Biden’s open border tools and attach aggressive immigration policy riders to relevant appropriations bills awaiting consideration, the House should complete its investigation into the possible impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, and Members of Congress should once again consider requiring the inclusion of H.R. 2 as a condition for passing future government funding," they say.

The White House has requested an additional $14 billion in emergency supplemental funding, along with funding for Israel and Ukraine. However, Heritage warns against providing funding by itself, without policy changes, that it is tied to other countries' assistance.

"The time for action is now. H.R. 2 must become law if the homeland is truly to be secured: Simply writing a check as part of an unrelated supplemental spending bill will only worsen the crisis," they say.

HOUSE OVERSIGHT REPUBLICANS PUSH BIDEN DHS ON ‘CONFLICTING’ BORDER WALL POSITIONS

They say that while Israel merits U.S. support, "attaching ‘border security’ money to Israel funding without policy changes is a trap that, however well-intentioned, must be avoided."

The two border and immigration experts also outline suggestions to make existing spending bills stronger by putting riders on to limit what the Biden administration can do with the money being provided to it. They also back efforts in the House to impeach and remove Mayorkas from office for his handling of the border crisis.

"Most important, however, the border crisis should not be viewed as a problem that can be solved simply with more taxpayer dollars—a trap that has been laid alongside providing critical financial assistance to Israel," they warn.

The brief comes just days after the Biden administration announced new border numbers for September -- which marks the highest number of monthly encounters and records, meaning FY 23 as a whole saw the most yearly encounters on record.

Homeland GOP report blames Mayorkas for ‘devastating human costs’ of migrant crisis

A new report by Republicans on the House Homeland Security Committee is blaming DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for what it says are the "devastating human costs" of the migrant crisis at the southern border.

"These devastating human costs fall squarely on Mayorkas’ shoulders, and no amount of excusemaking, blame-shifting, or political prevaricating can change that fact," the report says.

The latest report is the third of its kind from the committee to detail Mayorkas’ handling of the crisis. It comes amid blistering criticism from Republicans, including calls by some for his impeachment for the implementation of policies which they say have fueled the border crisis — including reduced interior enforcement and expanded "catch-and-release."

GOP ATTORNEYS GENERAL PUSH FOR FIX TO ‘CATCH-AND-RELEASE LOOPHOLE’ AT SOUTHERN BORDER, CITING TERROR THREAT 

It follows a committee hearing in September where members heard about the human effects of the crisis — including child trafficking, overwhelmed Border Patrol agents, and the ongoing effects of fentanyl trafficking in from Mexico.

Fentanyl, which is responsible for tens of thousands of death each year, is primarily trafficked across the southern border after being produced in Mexico using Chinese precursors. The report notes a dramatic increase in seizures at the border, including between ports of entry, and warns it is possible that more is getting past overwhelmed agents.

"As [cartels] push record numbers of illegal aliens across the border, stretching Border Patrol resources to—and often past—the breaking point, they have increased their ability to push drugs like fentanyl across, as well," the report says.

The administration says it has been cracking down on fentanyl smuggling, and that it is showing results. Officials have pointed to two operations, Operations Blue Lotus and Four Horseman, which have stopped nearly 10,000 lbs in two months. A spokesperson said in response to the report that it has arrested more criminals for fentanyl-related crimes in two years than in the previous five fiscal years.

"DHS has launched unprecedented campaigns, working with our allies, deploying new high-tech solutions, and leading investigations that are cracking down on criminal smuggling networks," they said. 

THOUSANDS OF ‘SPECIAL INTEREST ALIENS’ FROM MIDDLE EAST COUNTRIES STOPPED AT SOUTHERN BORDER SINCE 2021: DATA 

The Republican report also outlines an immense cost on Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers and agents, pointing to evidence of stress, increased workload and concerns about suicide. It blames the increased fatigue on the crisis, which it says is caused by the administration, as well as instances such as the blaming of Border Patrol agents for their actions during the since-debunked "whipping" controversy in Del Rio in 2021.

"The heroism of the men and women who sign on the dotted line to serve and protect their fellow countrymen is unparalleled. Tragically, the policies of Secretary Mayorkas spurn that heroism," it says.

A DHS spokesperson rejected criticism about Border Patrol morale, saying it has taken "significant strides to support our workforce" and had prioritized providing resources and support, including over 1,000 additional processing coordinators and 300 additional agents.

"This Administration has secured historic levels of funding that include the first increase in hiring for the U.S. Border Patrol in a decade and new resources across the Department for employee mental health and well-being," they said." The best way to support personnel handling historic levels of migration is for Congress to pass the Biden-Harris administration’s proposal to fully fund our work, invest in new technologies, and finally fix our broken immigration system."

The lengthy report also outlines the impact of illegal immigrants on crime and public safety, citing fewer arrests of criminal illegal immigrants by ICE due to reduced enforcement and crimes committed by illegal immigrants. Finally, it points to the increase suffering and deaths of migrants who have been attracted to the southern border. Republicans cite an increase in migrant deaths during this crisis, the suffering endured by migrants at the hands of smugglers, the abandonment of children by smugglers and the increased human trafficking of children into the labor market. 

"This self-inflicted crisis has exacted a terrible human cost all across our country," Chairman Mark Green said in a statement. "Since Secretary Mayorkas took office, we’ve watched in horror as fentanyl has increasingly spread into our communities, criminal illegal aliens have poured across the border, and law enforcement has been completely overwhelmed. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of vulnerable people, including children, have been trafficked or smuggled across the border by the cartels into forced labor, the sex trade, and other horrific situations. 

"Secretary Mayorkas’ dereliction of duty is central to these horrors, and instead of changing course on the policies that brought us here, he has only doubled down in their defense," he said. "It’s unacceptable, and we’re going to keep informing the public about what this crisis has cost all of us."

Democrats on the committee also took aim at the report.

"Republicans can write as many reports as they want baselessly attacking the Secretary and forcing their xenophobic rhetoric on the American people, but they’ve done nothing to move the needle on improving border policy," Ranking Member Bennie Thompson said in a statement. "Instead, they criticize to distract from the fact that Republicans simply have no ability to govern and no desire to work with Democrats on real solutions."

DHS officials have repeatedly pushed back against the criticism Mayorkas has received from Republicans, saying it is up to Congress to provide more funding and fix a "broken" immigration system. Officials have also previously highlighted anti-smuggling campaigns and additional funding to counter human and drug smuggling.

"While the House Majority has wasted months trying to score points with baseless attacks, Secretary Mayorkas has been doing his job and working to keep Americans safe," a DHS spokesperson said in response to the report. " Instead of continuing their reckless attacks, Congress should work with us to keep our country safe, build on the progress DHS is making, and deliver desperately needed reforms for our broken immigration system that only legislation can fix." 

House Homeland Security GOP report accuses Mayorkas of ceding border control to cartels

EXCLUSIVE: The House Homeland Security Committee accused DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas of having ceded control of the southern border to Mexican cartels in the GOP-led committee's latest report into the administration’s handling of the migrant crisis.

Chairman Mark Green launched an investigation into Mayorkas’ conduct and handling of the southern border crisis earlier this year as the DHS chief faced a barrage of criticism from Republicans over the border crisis that has seen record encounters at the border, where encounters currently remain high.

The report on phase two of its investigation is called "DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has emboldened cartels, criminals and America's enemies." In the report, the majority concluded that "Mayorkas and [President] Biden’s policies have emboldened and enriched the cartels, ceded control of America’s sovereign Southwest border to these organizations, and jeopardized the safety and security of individuals and communities across this country in the process."

HOUSE HOMELAND GOP REPORT ACCUSES MAYORKAS OF ‘INTENTIONAL’ DERELICTION OF DUTY OVER BORDER CRISIS 

The report outlined how the cartels, "the most vicious evil organizations in the Western Hemisphere," maintain substantial control in Mexico and are the leading source of drugs such as fentanyl coming into the U.S. That drug, which is tied to tens of thousands of deaths each year, is primarily made in Mexico using Chinese precursors and shipped across the U.S. land border.

The cartels have also become the key players in transporting migrants across the border, with smuggling and trafficking now becoming a key pillar of their business model. The report argued that the administration has reversed Trump-era policies and implemented new ones that have "encouraged millions of individuals to make the journey to the Southwest border in hopes of being released into the United States."

"The massive increase in the number of people now traveling up through Mexico on their way to the Southwest border represents a historic business opportunity for the cartels, as each person is someone off whom they can profit," the report said, also finding that the surge of individuals has taken Border Patrol agents off the beat to process migrants instead, leaving broad stretches of the border open to cartel exploitation. 

"Americans must understand the sheer control these organizations exert over the flow of illegal aliens and illicit drugs across the Southwest border, and how they profit from it all. The cartels control smuggling routes throughout Mexico and exert near-complete control on the movement of individuals through that country, particularly at and near the Southwest border," the report continued.

GOP REPS TENNEY, ROY LEAD PUSH TO REDUCE MAYORKAS' SALARY TO $1 OVER BORDER CRISIS 

The report also outlined how cartels have an increasing presence in the U.S., and highlighted media reporting detailing how unaccompanied children are often smuggled in and put into the labor force in order to pay back money. It also detailed how stash houses where migrants are forced to stay are a "public health nightmare" along with statistics showing the use of stash houses has increased in recent years.

The report warned how the cartels are associated with gang crime within the U.S. as well, particularly groups like MS-13 -- the violent street gang that has many illegal immigrants among its members. They also noted the increase in apprehensions of those whose names appear on the terror watch list.

"It is unknown how many additional national security threats have been among the approximately 1.5 million known gotaways that have evaded Border Patrol altogether," the report said.

In a statement accompanying the report, Green said that the report "documents in clear and unflinching detail how the cartels are taking advantage of our open Southwest border to rake in billions of dollars through increased human smuggling and drug trafficking, while spreading death and destruction throughout our communities."

"And the reason they’re able to do so is because Secretary Mayorkas has implemented a host of policies that have incentivized illegal immigration at a scale we’ve never before seen, and the cartels have jumped to take advantage. The more the American people learn about this crisis, the more they understand that Secretary Mayorkas has been derelict in his duty, and that he has failed to uphold his oath to defend the homeland," he said. "This Committee will continue to conduct oversight of this secretary’s actions and policies, and provide the answers and accountability the American people deserve—and demand." 

The administration has touted its own efforts to crack down on smugglers and cartels, including joint anti-smuggling operations with Mexico – where officials have said the cartels have control -- and investments in detection technology at ports of entry and additional agents and other law enforcement to combat smuggling. It said those investments in staff, including 1,000 Border Patrol Processing Coordinators, are designed to help agents return to their patrol duties. The administration has pushed for more funding, including $4 billion in the recent supplemental request and a budget requesting more funding to combat smuggling and trafficking.

Mayorkas has himself rejected the claim his department has ceded control of the border to the cartels. In July, he told lawmakers his agency is "taking it to the transnational criminal organizations, the cartels that peddle in death and destruction, to an unprecedented degree." He also highlighted stats from operations targeting fentanyl smuggling.

"We seized nearly 2 million pounds of narcotics last fiscal year. Operations Blue, Lotus and Four Horsemen alone stopped nearly 10,000 pounds of fentanyl from the U.S., led to 284 arrests, and yielded invaluable insights into the transnational criminal organizations wreaking this death and destruction on our communities."

He also said that U.S. arrested "more criminals involved in cartel activity than in the prior several years."

DHS has also pushed back against broader criticism from Republicans, accusing them of failing to work with the administration on legislation to fix a "broken" system and calling for more funding for its border operations. It has also repeatedly said that its efforts to expand migrant pathways, work with international partners and reinitiate Title 8 penalties for illegal entry are working, and that FY 2022 saw a record number of removals under both Title 42 and Title 8 authorities.

However, Republican criticism is showing no signs of letting up. Some Republicans have proposed a potential impeachment of the DHS chief, while this week there was an effort in the House to reduce his salary to just $1.

GOP reps Tenney, Roy lead push to reduce Mayorkas’ salary to $1 over border crisis

FIRST ON FOX: Republican lawmakers in the House are proposing an amendment that would reduce Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas’ salary to just $1, as Republicans continue to increase pressure on the DHS chief for the ongoing migrant crisis at the southern border.

Reps. Claudia Tenney, R-NY, and Chip Roy, R-Texas, are leading the push to include an amendment to the Homeland Security appropriations bill that would reduce Mayorkas’ salary to $1.

The amendment would use the so-called Holman rule, which allows lawmakers to cut the salaries of federal officials. Republicans have zeroed in on Mayorkas over the ongoing crisis at the southern border, where numbers have again increased in recent months. Conservatives say the crisis has been created and fueled by the policies of the administration.

WHITE HOUSE BLASTS GOP FOR LOOMING SHUTDOWN, SAYS IT COULD HURT FENTANYL FIGHT

"None of the funds made available by this Act may be used to pay Secretary Alejandro Nicholas Mayorkas a salary that exceeds $1," the amendment states.

"Secretary Mayorkas should not be paid hundreds of thousands of tax dollars to continually fail to protect American taxpayers from threats crossing our borders," Tenney said in a statement to Fox News Digital. "Thanks to Secretary Mayorkas’ work, or lack thereof, there have been at least 5.8 million illegal crossings of our southern border since Biden took office, turning all our communities into border communities." 

‘If the President is refusing to fire him for his dereliction of duty, his salary must reflect his failures," she said.

"It’s time to end this border crisis once and for all. The American people have no obligation to keep paying a federal official who refuses to do his job and uphold his oath, and that's why we should zero out Mayorkas' salary," Roy said in a statement. "I’m glad to work with Rep. Tenney in this fight to regain operational control of the border."

Co-sponsors on the amendment include Reps. Derrick Van Orden, R-Wis., Jeff Duncan, R-S.C., Russell Fry, R-S.C., Scott DesJarlais, R-Tenn., Bill Posey, R-Fla., Carol Miller, R-W.Va., Ryan Zinke, R-Mont., and Harriet Hageman, R-Wyo.

The move marks the latest effort by Republicans in relation to the administration's handling of the migrant crisis, which has seen record high numbers at the border, and has become an increasingly difficult political issue for the administration as migrants have also been overwhelming "sanctuary" cities like New York City and Chicago.

Republicans have blamed the administration’s policies, including its reversal of Trump-era policies including border wall construction and the Remain-in-Mexico policy. They have also blasted the expansion of releases of migrants via humanitarian parole and what they have called "catch-and-release."

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Some Republicans have called for Mayorkas’ impeachment, and the House Homeland Security Committee issued a report accusing him of an "intentional" dereliction of duty and of implementing a "radical open-borders agenda."

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Roy has been one of the fiercest critics of Mayorkas, and last month called for lawmakers to stop funding DHS altogether until steps are taken to secure the border. Meanwhile, conservatives in the chamber are calling for a sweeping border and asylum reform bill to be included in any continuing resolution that would keep the government open past Sept. 30.

The Biden administration has defended Mayorkas and has pushed back against GOP criticism, saying the agency needs more funding from Congress and for it to pass a comprehensive immigration bill that it introduced on day one to fix what it says is a "broken" system that has not been updated in decades. That legislation has been rejected by Republicans in part due to the inclusion of a pathway to citizenship for millions of illegal immigrants. The White House recently requested an additional $4 billion for border and immigration as part of its supplemental funding request.

A DHS spokesperson emphasized those calls for more congressional action on Wednesday in a statement to Fox News Digital. 

"While the House Majority has wasted months trying to score points with baseless attacks, Secretary Mayorkas has been doing his job and working to keep Americans safe," the spokesperson said. "Instead of continuing their reckless charades and attacks on law enforcement, Congress should work with us to keep our country safe, build on the progress DHS is making, and deliver desperately needed reforms for our broken immigration system that only legislation can fix." 

Biden administration faces increasing pressure from the left on border, immigration policies

The Biden administration, while taking heat from the right over what conservatives claim are "open-border" policies that mark a significant change from the Trump era, is also receiving loud criticism from left-wing politicians and activist groups.

Left-leaning figures say the administration has not done enough to make what they see as progress. That criticism was on display this week when Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., took aim at the administration over its handling of immigration.

"Immigration is arguably this administration’s weakest issue. This is one area where our policy is dictated by politics, arguably more so than almost any other," Ocasio-Cortez said in an interview with The New York Times.

"There are very clear recommendations and suggestions that we have made to the administration to provide relief on this issue, and it’s my belief that some of the hesitation around this has to do with a fear around just being seen as approving or providing permission structures or really just the Republican narratives that have surrounded immigration."

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She also joined a chorus of Democrats who have demanded the administration open up work authorizations and take other measures to protect those in the country illegally from deportation. 

"The Biden administration’s refusal to open up work authorizations or extend temporary protective status really prevents us from doing what we do best, which is allowing and creating an environment where immigrants from all over the world can create a livelihood here," Ocasio-Cortez said.

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White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre responded to the criticism, noting that the president had put forward immigration reform legislation, which had been rejected by Republicans, whom she blamed for making it an "incredibly political issue."

"Look, the president has done what he can from — from here, from the federal government, from the White House — to put forth and manage our border in a safe and humane way to respect the dignity of every human, as he says all the time, and making sure that our communities are safe. And you have seen him do that," Jean-Pierre said. 

"But the system is broken. We want to do this in a bipartisan way. Republicans refuse to do that."

She then said Biden "has done more to secure the border and to deal with this issue of immigration than anybody else."

The criticism from Ocasio-Cortez marks the latest example of criticism from the left the administration has faced. In August, Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., said the president needed to show "leadership" as New York faced its own migrant crisis.

"Here's the thing. Democrats are looking bad right now in New York state, and that's unacceptable when we have to win at least four congressional seats to take back the House," Bowman said. "So, hopefully the president is listening."

Several top Democrats in New York, including NYC Mayor Eric Adams and Gov. Kathy Hochul, have similarly blasted the lack of action from the federal government. Adams bristled at a list of recommendations provided by the government to better handle the migrant crisis this week.

"Don't critique what we've done. Don't tell us how we could have done it better," Adams said, accusing the government of being a "detached spectator." DHS has noted that it has funded New York to the tune of $140 million since October.

The criticism comes as the administration is facing a grueling legal challenge launched by the American Civil Liberties Union and other groups to challenge its asylum rule, which makes illegal immigrants ineligible for asylum if they have crossed through another country without claiming asylum. That rule brought charges from the left that it was violating the right to asylum.

DHS CALLS FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO NYC'S MIGRANT CRISIS OPERATIONS AS ADAMS PUSHES BACK 

The rule was initially blocked, but it has been allowed to remain in place as the Biden administration’s appeal moves through the courts.

"The ruling is a victory, but each day the Biden administration prolongs the fight over its illegal ban, many people fleeing persecution and seeking safe harbor for their families are instead left in grave danger," Katrina Eiland, deputy director of the ACLU’s Immigrants’ Rights Project, said a statement after the ruling.

In May, Menendez, along with senators Ben Ray Luján, D-N.M., and Alex Padilla, D-Calif., said the administration should "reset" its policies and accused it of pushing forward with a "harmful transit ban that fundamentally limits access to our nation’s asylum system."

Last month, Menendez led 64 members of Congress in demanding that the administration stop conducting credible fear screenings of migrants in CBP custody, calling such a move "inherently problematic."

As that pressure remains from the left, conservatives are still hammering the administration. Some Republicans have called for the impeachment of DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, and arguments began last week from Republican states challenging a separate parole policy.

Fox News' Brianna Herlihy and Liz Elkind contributed to this report.