Mayorkas impeachment gains steam among Republicans in purple districts as border chaos continues

The idea of impeaching Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas is gaining more steam among Republicans in purple districts as the chaos at the southern border continues to unfold.

Several House GOP lawmakers in swing districts threw their support behind impeaching Mayorkas over the exacerbated border crisis that saw Title 42 expire last week.

California Republican Rep. Mike Garcia told Punchbowl News that he supports impeaching Mayorkas, arguing that the DHS secretary is "going out of his way to allow this invasion on our southern border."

DHS SEC. MAYORKAS TAKES VICTORY LAP AS BORDER SURGE CONTINUES

"When the Joker is acting like the Joker, it’s one thing," Garcia said on Friday. "But when Batman — who’s supposed to be protecting you — starts acting like the Joker, you’ve got to do something about it."

Garcia’s district went for President Biden in the 2020 election and is a target district for Democrats to flip blue.

Fellow California Rep. John Duarte — one of two Republicans who didn’t back the GOP border bill — said Mayorkas’ "failures are obvious" and is considering impeachment.

"At some point, if we believe there is a case there, I’ll probably stick with the party," Duarte said.

Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., also threw her support behind impeaching Mayorkas, telling Punchbowl News an impeachment of the DHS secretary would help vulnerable GOP members.

"Illegal immigration is an American problem. It doesn’t matter if you have an ‘R’ or a ‘D’ or an ‘I’ by your name," Mace said.

New York GOP Rep. Anthony D’Esposito — whose district also went for Biden in 2020 — criticized Mayorkas but didn’t outright back an impeachment effort.

"Secretary Mayorkas is not fulfilling his oath that he took to protect this homeland and protect this nation," D’Esposito said.

Texas GOP Rep. Pat Fallon, who took 67 percent of the vote in the 2022 midterm election, told Punchbow that he hasn't heard his Republican colleagues voicing concerns about bringing impeachment articles against Mayorkas.

"The middle understands the disaster at the border," said Fallon, who introduced impeachment articles against Mayorkas in January. "It’ll help purple districts because it’s more of a 70-30 issue, where only the hard left are the ones who want to keep things as they are."

Other Republicans are not on board with impeaching Mayorkas, with Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska telling Punchbowl News while the secretary "deserves criticism," he is not behind impeachment.

"But I don’t think Mayorkas is the problem. The president is," he continued.

Inherently an agonizing process for all involved, impeaching a president or cabinet secretary expends a lot of political capital and requires the right winds to fully set sail.

The growing crisis at the border has been brewing a maelstrom for Mayorkas, however, especially as migrants flow in after the end of Title 42. The statute allowed the U.S. to expel migrants at the southern border due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Swing district Republicans supporting a Mayorkas impeachment could signal that they see the benefits of such an effort as outweighing the costs.

This means we could have a ballgame very soon.

DHS sued for Prince Harry’s immigration records to see if he lied about drug use

A new lawsuit is demanding that the Department of Homeland Security release Prince Harry's immigration records, citing suspicions that the Biden administration allowed him to enter the U.S. despite his admission of illegal drug use – a factor that would usually be enough to deny other people entry.

The suit was filed Monday by the Heritage Foundation, which argues that DHS has failed to comply with previous requests for documents related to the agency's decision to let Prince Harry stay in the country.

The Freedom of Information Act requests were made following the release of Prince Harry's bestselling memoir, "Spare," in which he admitted to using cocaine, psychedelics and marijuana.

When filling out a visa application, those drug abuses are supposed to be documented in detail, and would normally trigger a special review if not rejection of the application. However, the group is suspicious that Prince Harry was either not honest on his visa application, or that the Biden administration gave him preferential treatment.

PRINCE HARRY SNUBBED AT KING CHARLES' CORONATION AS NEW DETAILS ON RELIGIOUS CEREMONY ARE REVEALED

Prince Harry and his wife Megan Markle moved to Los Angeles in 2020.

Dr. Nile Gardiner, director of the Foundation's Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom, told Fox News Digital that there is "strong public interest" in DHS releasing the Prince's immigration records and application "so the public can see whether there's any discrepancy between what he outlined in his memoir with extensive drug taking and what he actually put on his application," and also if DHS gave him any preferential treatment.

"Anyone who applies for a U.S. visa has to be absolutely honest and truthful with regard to drug use on their application. And in many cases, foreign nationals are denied a visa based on drug use," Gardiner explained.

BORDER PATROL CHIEF SAYS DHS DOESN'T HAVE OPERATIONAL CONTROL OF US BORDER

The lawsuit lists some of those high-profile examples like Kate Moss and John Lennon who had trouble obtaining an American visa because of drug use.

MIA FARROW SAYS SHE 'REGRETTED' TWEET SAYING SHE’S 'TIRED' OF PRINCE HARRY, MEGHAN MARKLE THAT DREW BACKLASH

"It is a perjury offense to misrepresent information on an immigration application. So it's very serious business. The public has a right to know whether or not his application was fully accurate. And whether or not he was given any kind of preferential treatment by U.S. immigration officials," Gardiner said.

The lawsuit said that the "while this case focuses on the widespread public and press interest on the specific issue of whether DHS acted, and is acting, appropriately as regards the Duke of Sussex, it cannot be separated from its broader context."

"The press and congressional hearing rooms are replete with detailed accusations that DHS is deliberately refusing to enforce the country’s immigration laws and is responsible for the current crisis at the border," it said.

"[T]he broader controversy is so grave that Articles of Impeachment have been filed against DHS Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas and Secretary Mayorkas has taken the extraordinary step of retaining private counsel to represent him in impeachment proceedings," it said.

The case was filed in Washington, D.C. District Court.

The DHS did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

Green on Greene: Impeach Mayorkas push overshadowed by MTG calling him a liar in Congressional kerfuffle

They called them "green on green" attacks in Afghanistan. That’s when Afghan police fought with local military troops.

On Capitol Hill recently, it was "Green on Greene."

"Green" is Rep. Mark Green, R-Tenn., chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee. "Greene" is Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., member of the House Homeland Security Committee.

And late last week, "Green" finally had enough of "Greene" during a hearing with Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE LEADS NYC RALLY PROTESTING TRUMP INDICTMENT, AFTER RECEIVING WARNING FROM MAYOR ADAMS

You may not have heard much about Mayorkas’s testimony because of a parliamentary kerfuffle.

It started when it was Greene’s time to pose questions to Mayorkas, just seconds after Rep. Eric Swalwell, R-Calif., concluded his questions. Swalwell burned some of his time asking about GOP demands to slash funding for the FBI.

MAYORKAS SPEWS NOTHING BUT ‘POLITICAL RHETORIC,' IGNORING FACTS ABOUT BORDER: BRANDON JUDD

With a smile, Greene looked across the dais at Swalwell.

"That was quite entertaining for someone that had a sexual relationship with a Chinese spy. And everyone knows it," said Greene, flashing her teeth, voice dripping with sarcasm.

That’s long been a right-wing charge against Swalwell, but no one’s ever substantiated the claim.

Several years ago, Chinese intelligence operative Fang Fang targeted American politicians. Fang assisted in fundraising efforts for Swalwell in 2014. Swalwell’s office says he reported information about Fang to the FBI and cut off ties with her. The FBI put Fang under surveillance and presented Swalwell with a "defensive" briefing about Fang.

After Greene’s imputation, Rep. Dan Goldman, D-N.Y., immediately moved "take her words down."

The "taking down of words" on the House floor or in committee is the equivalent of a parliamentary indictment. A Member might flag the conduct or "words" of a fellow Member of not comporting with the rules of the House, engaging with appropriate decorum, bringing dishonor on the body or impugning the motives or character of a fellow lawmaker.

"Completely inappropriate!" shouted Goldman.

Mark Green halted the hearing immediately.

TOM HOMAN RIPS SEC. MAYORKAS FOR ‘CONSTANTLY LYING’: HE HAS ‘NO INTERGRITY’

The full House or committee then reviews the language in question. If they violated the rules, the offending Member is then given an opportunity to retract them and continue.

But Greene wasn’t having it.

Green asked Greene if she would retract her broadside directed Swalwell.

"No, I will not," replied Greene.

Despite the weight of such a shocking allegation — uttered by one lawmaker and directed toward another at a public hearing — the committee voted that Greene’s conduct was appropriate. That meant Greene could continue to speak. The panel would have silenced Greene for the remainder of the day had they deemed her philippic out of order. It’s kind of like a player getting ejected from a baseball game. They can’t play the rest of the day.

So, Greene remained on the field.

Note that House Democrats who in the majority two years ago voted to remove Greene from her committee assignments because of her conduct.

"I don’t think there’s any question about what the gentle lady has said (is improper)," lamented Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., the top Democrat on the panel. "We have never had an accusation made of any member like that and I’m appalled by it. We all ought to be embarrassed by it."

Since the committee didn’t sanction Greene, she appeared emboldened and tore into Mayorkas.

"How many more people do we have to watch die every single day in America?" Greene said to Mayorkas, slapping the dais multiple times with an open palm. "You are a liar!"

House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul, R-Tex., found himself sitting in for Green, chairing the committee. That’s when Thompson raised issues to McCaul about Greene excoriating Mayorkas.

"You don’t have to call a witness a liar," said Thompson.

He also asked that the committee again "take down" Greene’s words

"We’ve gotten to the point that the language is not the kind of language that this committee would use," said Thompson.

McCaul again offered Greene the option of withdrawing her incendiary accusations.

MAYORKAS APOLOGIZES TO FAMILY MEMBERS GREIVING 7-YEAR-OLD AND GRANDMOTHER KILLED BY FLEEING HUMAN SMUGGLER

"I will not withdraw my remarks because the facts show the proof," said defiant Greene.

"Okay," said a resigned McCaul. By that point, Chairman Mark Green returned to oversee the hearing.

"The rules state that it’s pretty clear that you can’t impugn someone’s character," said the chairman. "Identifying someone or calling someone a liar is unacceptable in this committee. And I make the ruling that we strike those words."

With that, Green rapped the gavel. That censored Greene’s charges directed at Mayorkas and banished her from further questioning for the remainder of the hearing.

Goldman sought clarification from the chairman as to what just unfolded. But Greene interrupted.

"Personal inquiry?" requested Greene, her tone shallow compared to her verbal fusillade fired at Mayorkas earlier. "Point of personal inquiry?

"There is no such thing," responded Goldman — which is accurate when it comes to House regulations.

"In consulting the rules of the House, when we strike (words), it does terminate the time of the individual who was speaking," said Green. "So the gentle lady is no longer recognized."

Green then turned over the floor to Rep. Glenn Ivey, D-Md., to question Mayorkas.

DHS CONFIRMS BIDEN OFFICIAL'S WASHINGTON OFFICE SEARCHED BY FEDS, PUT ON ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE

However, Ivey and Goldman then sought clarification about Green’s decision to suspend Greene from speaking.

The chairman announced that, according to the rules of the House, a member may accuse someone of "lying." But you cannot call them "a liar." That’s because Clause 1 and Clause 4 of House Rule XVII prohibits attacking someone’s character and motive.

But Ivey wasn’t satisfied even though Green bounced the Georgia Republican from the hearing.

"I can’t imagine an allegation worse than the one she just made," argued Ivey.

"It does not fit the rules by the ruling of the chair," said Green. "We have the secretary until about 1:30 and we’re going to move on."

And therein lies the rub about Greene attacking Mayorkas — whether he deserves criticism or not.

MAYORKAS HELD CALLS WITH ACLU NEARLY TWO DOZEN TIMES IN FIVE-MONTH PERIOD IN 2021, DOCUMENTS SHOW

A cadre of House Republicans hope to impeach Mayorkas. Mark Green suggested that the hearing was part of a process to provide a "packet" to House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, about Mayorkas’s record. It would then be up to Jordan to launch an impeachment inquiry into Mayorkas. It’s far from clear whether the Judiciary Committee has the votes to prepare articles of impeachment for Mayorkas. It’s even less clear that Republicans would ever try to impeach Mayorkas on the floor because of the narrow GOP majority. Republicans would likely lack the votes.

The chairman said he was going to speak to Greene about her conduct. Other Republicans signaled while they lost no love for Mayorkas, they didn’t appreciate Greene’s lack of civility.

There wasn’t a lot of news coverage about Mayorkas’s testimony or problems at the border. That’s because in the social media age, the loudest voices command the most attention. It’s often volume over substance.

Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mark Green and Republicans on that panel wanted to explore Mayorkas’s record about the border last week. There was certainly some of that.

But Greene’s performance sidetracked that conversation.

Mark Green may have eventually silenced Marjorie Taylor Greene in the hearing. But she was far from silent. People may not have heard about Mayorkas. But they certainly heard about Greene.

Green vs Greene: Mayorkas testimony overshadowed by MTG Swalwell allegations

They called them "green on green" attacks in Afghanistan. That’s when Afghan police fought with local military troops.

On Capitol Hill recently, it was "Green on Greene."

"Green" is Rep. Mark Green, R-Tenn., chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee. "Greene" is Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., member of the House Homeland Security Committee.

And late last week, "Green" finally had enough of "Greene" during a hearing with Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE LEADS NYC RALLY PROTESTING TRUMP INDICTMENT, AFTER RECEIVING WARNING FROM MAYOR ADAMS

You may not have heard much about Mayorkas’s testimony because of a parliamentary kerfuffle.

It started when it was Greene’s time to pose questions to Mayorkas, just seconds after Rep. Eric Swalwell, R-Calif., concluded his questions. Swalwell burned some of his time asking about GOP demands to slash funding for the FBI.

MAYORKAS SPEWS NOTHING BUT ‘POLITICAL RHETORIC,' IGNORING FACTS ABOUT BORDER: BRANDON JUDD

With a smile, Greene looked across the dais at Swalwell.

"That was quite entertaining for someone that had a sexual relationship with a Chinese spy. And everyone knows it," said Greene, flashing her teeth, voice dripping with sarcasm.

That’s long been a right-wing charge against Swalwell, but no one’s ever substantiated the claim.

Several years ago, Chinese intelligence operative Fang Fang targeted American politicians. Fang assisted in fundraising efforts for Swalwell in 2014. Swalwell’s office says he reported information about Fang to the FBI and cut off ties with her. The FBI put Fang under surveillance and presented Swalwell with a "defensive" briefing about Fang.

After Greene’s imputation, Rep. Dan Goldman, D-N.Y., immediately moved "take her words down."

The "taking down of words" on the House floor or in committee is the equivalent of a parliamentary indictment. A Member might flag the conduct or "words" of a fellow Member of not comporting with the rules of the House, engaging with appropriate decorum, bringing dishonor on the body or impugning the motives or character of a fellow lawmaker.

"Completely inappropriate!" shouted Goldman.

Mark Green halted the hearing immediately.

TOM HOMAN RIPS SEC. MAYORKAS FOR ‘CONSTANTLY LYING’: HE HAS ‘NO INTERGRITY’

The full House or committee then reviews the language in question. If they violated the rules, the offending Member is then given an opportunity to retract them and continue.

But Greene wasn’t having it.

Green asked Greene if she would retract her broadside directed Swalwell.

"No, I will not," replied Greene.

Despite the weight of such a shocking allegation — uttered by one lawmaker and directed toward another at a public hearing — the committee voted that Greene’s conduct was appropriate. That meant Greene could continue to speak. The panel would have silenced Greene for the remainder of the day had they deemed her philippic out of order. It’s kind of like a player getting ejected from a baseball game. They can’t play the rest of the day.

So, Greene remained on the field.

Note that House Democrats who in the majority two years ago voted to remove Greene from her committee assignments because of her conduct.

"I don’t think there’s any question about what the gentle lady has said (is improper)," lamented Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., the top Democrat on the panel. "We have never had an accusation made of any member like that and I’m appalled by it. We all ought to be embarrassed by it."

Since the committee didn’t sanction Greene, she appeared emboldened and tore into Mayorkas.

"How many more people do we have to watch die every single day in America?" Greene said to Mayorkas, slapping the dais multiple times with an open palm. "You are a liar!"

House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul, R-Tex., found himself sitting in for Green, chairing the committee. That’s when Thompson raised issues to McCaul about Greene excoriating Mayorkas.

"You don’t have to call a witness a liar," said Thompson.

He also asked that the committee again "take down" Greene’s words

"We’ve gotten to the point that the language is not the kind of language that this committee would use," said Thompson.

McCaul again offered Greene the option of withdrawing her incendiary accusations.

MAYORKAS APOLOGIZES TO FAMILY MEMBERS GREIVING 7-YEAR-OLD AND GRANDMOTHER KILLED BY FLEEING HUMAN SMUGGLER

"I will not withdraw my remarks because the facts show the proof," said defiant Greene.

"Okay," said a resigned McCaul. By that point, Chairman Mark Green returned to oversee the hearing.

"The rules state that it’s pretty clear that you can’t impugn someone’s character," said the chairman. "Identifying someone or calling someone a liar is unacceptable in this committee. And I make the ruling that we strike those words."

With that, Green rapped the gavel. That censored Greene’s charges directed at Mayorkas and banished her from further questioning for the remainder of the hearing.

Goldman sought clarification from the chairman as to what just unfolded. But Greene interrupted.

"Personal inquiry?" requested Greene, her tone shallow compared to her verbal fusillade fired at Mayorkas earlier. "Point of personal inquiry?

"There is no such thing," responded Goldman — which is accurate when it comes to House regulations.

"In consulting the rules of the House, when we strike (words), it does terminate the time of the individual who was speaking," said Green. "So the gentle lady is no longer recognized."

Green then turned over the floor to Rep. Glenn Ivey, D-Md., to question Mayorkas.

DHS CONFIRMS BIDEN OFFICIAL'S WASHINGTON OFFICE SEARCHED BY FEDS, PUT ON ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE

However, Ivey and Goldman then sought clarification about Green’s decision to suspend Greene from speaking.

The chairman announced that, according to the rules of the House, a member may accuse someone of "lying." But you cannot call them "a liar." That’s because Clause 1 and Clause 4 of House Rule XVII prohibits attacking someone’s character and motive.

But Ivey wasn’t satisfied even though Green bounced the Georgia Republican from the hearing.

"I can’t imagine an allegation worse than the one she just made," argued Ivey.

"It does not fit the rules by the ruling of the chair," said Green. "We have the secretary until about 1:30 and we’re going to move on."

And therein lies the rub about Greene attacking Mayorkas — whether he deserves criticism or not.

MAYORKAS HELD CALLS WITH ACLU NEARLY TWO DOZEN TIMES IN FIVE-MONTH PERIOD IN 2021, DOCUMENTS SHOW

A cadre of House Republicans hope to impeach Mayorkas. Mark Green suggested that the hearing was part of a process to provide a "packet" to House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, about Mayorkas’s record. It would then be up to Jordan to launch an impeachment inquiry into Mayorkas. It’s far from clear whether the Judiciary Committee has the votes to prepare articles of impeachment for Mayorkas. It’s even less clear that Republicans would ever try to impeach Mayorkas on the floor because of the narrow GOP majority. Republicans would likely lack the votes.

The chairman said he was going to speak to Greene about her conduct. Other Republicans signaled while they lost no love for Mayorkas, they didn’t appreciate Greene’s lack of civility.

There wasn’t a lot of news coverage about Mayorkas’s testimony or problems at the border. That’s because in the social media age, the loudest voices command the most attention. It’s often volume over substance.

Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mark Green and Republicans on that panel wanted to explore Mayorkas’s record about the border last week. There was certainly some of that.

But Greene’s performance sidetracked that conversation.

Mark Green may have eventually silenced Marjorie Taylor Greene in the hearing. But she was far from silent. People may not have heard about Mayorkas. But they certainly heard about Greene.

Mayorkas comes face to face with family of grandmother, 7-year-old girl killed by human smuggler near border

Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas apologized Wednesday to the family of two victims who died in a traffic accident caused by a human smuggler fleeing arrest at the border.

Mayorkas — testifying before the House Homeland Security Committee — was asked to apologize to the family of Maria Tambunga and Emilia Tambunga, who were killed last month.

"They're sitting right behind you. They came here today because they want answers. They came here today because of the failures of you and your leadership. They came here because they want closure," said Republican Rep. August Pfluger of Texas.

SEN. MARSHALL INTRODUCES RESOLUTION FOR VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE IN MAYORKAS AMID SENATE GRILLING

Mayorkas did stand and express condolences to the Tambunga family present — although he also accused Pfluger of politicizing the tragedy.

Speaking directly to the family without a microphone, Mayorkas could be heard at one point telling the group, "My heart breaks for your loss."

The Texas Department of Public Safety said Rassian Comer, 22, of Louisiana, ran a red light during a high-speed chase on eastbound I-10 in Ozona and crashed into Maria Tambunga's car. 

BORDER PATROL CHIEF SAYS DHS DOESN'T HAVE OPERATIONAL CONTROL OF US BORDER

Two of the 11 illegal migrants being smuggled in Comer's 2021 Dodge pickup truck were also killed in the crash, Texas DPS said. Both were from Mexico. 

"Mr. Mayorkas, are you going to tell the Tambunga family that the border is secure today?" Pfluger asked.

"Congressman, you are politicizing a tragedy," Mayorkas responded.

Mayorkas has become a lightning rod for Republican criticism over the border crisis, and scrutiny has increased ahead of the looming end of Title 42 expulsions at the beginning of May. 

BIDEN ADMIN SEES PROGRESS IN TACKLING BORDER CRISIS AS MARCH'S NUMBERS DOWN FROM LAST YEAR

"Mr. Mayorkas, do you disagree with the head Border Patrol agent when he said that our border is not secure?" Pfluger pressed.

"Congressman, I have testified to that issue," Mayorkas began.

"So you do disagree with him. You disagree with your chief of Border Patrol?" the congressman asked again.

"I respectfully do in that regard," the secretary replied.

While the administration has been touting relatively lower numbers in recent months — which it ties to border measures introduced in January that included increased expulsions of a humanitarian parole program for four nationalities — officials fear a massive increase in apprehensions once Title 42 drops.

The Biden administration has dismissed the push by Republicans in the House to impeach Mayorkas, saying that Congress should instead focus on fixing what it says is a broken immigration system. 

A spokesperson on Tuesday renewed those calls in response to a resolution by Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., to trigger a vote of no confidence in Mayorkas.

Fox News' Bradford Betz and Adam Shaw contributed to this report.

Sen. Marshall introduces resolution for vote of no confidence in Mayorkas amid Senate grilling

FIRST ON FOX: Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kansas, on Tuesday announced that he is introducing a resolution to trigger a vote of no confidence in Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas -- just as the DHS chief was facing a grilling from lawmakers at a top committee.

"Mr. Secretary, you are derelict in your duties. I would be derelict to not do something about this. And that's why I have a draft resolution here that I intend to introduce in the coming days that would require the Senate to take a vote of no confidence on Secretary Mayorkas," he said as he questioned Mayorkas in a Senate Homeland Security Committee hearing.

"I stand at the ready to receive articles of impeachment from the House and conduct an impeachment trial in this body. But in the meantime, I think the Senate must show our colleagues in the House that we've had enough of the failures from the Department of Homeland Security and believe that the secretary is not fit to faithfully carry out the duties of his office," he said.

MAYORKAS AGAIN REFUSES TO CALL BORDER SURGE A ‘CRISIS,’ SAYS IT WOULD INDICATE ‘WITHDRAWAL FROM OUR MISSION’ 

The draft resolution, obtained by Fox News Digital, states that Mayorkas "does not have the confidence of the Senate or of the American people to faithfully carry out the duties of his office."

The resolution accuses Mayorkas of having "engaged in a pattern of conduct that is incompatible with his constitutional and statutory duties as Secretary of Homeland Security." 

Specifically, it says that he has failed to take the necessary actions to achieve operational control of the southern border, something the head of Border Patrol has said the agency does not have.

It cites "more than 5,500,000 illegal aliens crossing the United States southern border during Secretary Mayorkas’ term in office, including 20 consecutive months with more than 150,000 illegal border crossings and a 180 percent increase in encounters at the southern border compared to the previous administration"

BORDER PATROL CHIEF SAYS DHS DOESN'T HAVE OPERATIONAL CONTROL OF US BORDER

It also notes the apprehension of nearly 100 individuals on the terror watch list, an increase in fentanyl seizures and "gotaways" at the border, and also cites a number of moves by the administration that it says has encouraged illegal immigration – including the ending of the border wall construction, ending of the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) and attempts to end the Title 42 public health order – which will end next month.

It also notes Mayorkas' role in the controversy surrounding Border Patrol agents who were falsely accused of whipping Haitian migrants in 2021.

Marshall's resolution comes as Republicans in the House have been mulling an impeachment push since last year over what they see as the Biden administration's policies that have exacerbated the migrant crisis. Multiple lawmakers have introduced articles of impeachment, but none have yet been voted on. Should Mayorkas be impeached in the House, the process would then move to the Senate for a trial. Mayorkas could not be removed by the Senate without the House voting first. 

BIDEN ADMIN SEES PROGRESS IN TACKLING BORDER CRISIS AS MARCH'S NUMBERS DOWN FROM LAST YEAR

Mayorkas has become a lightning rod for Republican criticism over the border crisis, and scrutiny has increased ahead of the looming end of Title 42 expulsions at the beginning of May. While the administration has been touting relatively lower numbers in recent months – which it ties to border measures introduced in January that included increased expulsions of a humanitarian parole program for four nationalities – officials fear a massive increase in apprehensions once Title 42 drops.

The Biden administration has dismissed the push by Republicans in the House to impeach Mayorkas, saying that Congress should instead focus on fixing what it says is a broken immigration system. A spokesperson on Tuesday renewed those calls in response to Marshall's resolution.

"Secretary Mayorkas is proud to advance the noble mission of this Department, support its extraordinary workforce, and serve the American people. The Department will continue to enforce our laws and secure our border, protect the nation from terrorism, improve our cybersecurity, all while building a safe, orderly, and humane immigration system. Instead of pointing fingers and pursuing baseless attacks, Congress should work with the Department and pass legislation to fix our broken immigration system, which has not been updated in over 40 years." a spokesperson said on Tuesday.


 

Mayorkas held calls with ACLU nearly two dozen times in five-month period in 2021, documents show

EXCLUSIVE: Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas held nearly two dozen calls with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) in the first months of the Biden administration, official documents show.

Mayorkas’ official calendar from February to June 2021 was obtained by the government watchdog group Americans for Public Trust through a Freedom of Information Act request.

The calendar shows 23 calls with the left-wing civil rights group, which has called for immigration detention as a "last resort," and opposed multiple Trump-era border security and interior enforcement initiatives.

The meetings coincided with a dramatic lurch to the left by the Biden administration after it took over from the Trump administration, during which the new administration sought to slap a moratorium on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deportations, scrapped the "Remain-in-Mexico" policy and halted border wall construction. Republicans have tied those moves and others, including an expansion of "catch-and-release," to the historic migrant surge that followed.

BIDEN ADMIN TO HOLD MIGRANTS' ‘CREDIBLE FEAR’ SCREENINGS IN CBP FACILITIES AS BORDER PREPARES FOR SURGE

The DHS secretary's first call with the activist group is registered on Feb 16, involving executive director Anthony Romero.

Over the next months, multiple meetings were held on Title 42 -- the Trump-era public health order that allows for the rapid expulsion of migrants at the southern border due to the COVID-19 pandemic. That order is now due to end on May 11. Liberal groups had criticized the use of the order, saying it denied migrants their right to claim asylum in the U.S. The ACLU has called it a "horrific" policy and had sued in an attempt to shut down the use of the order.

Another meeting on May 11 was called "ACLU recommendations" and came after another call with the group. That came a day before Mayorkas headed to the Senate Appropriations Committee in which he and Attorney General Merrick Garland stressed the threat posed to national security by domestic terrorist groups, including white supremacists.

Separately, Mayorkas held multiple meetings with "immigration advocates" at least seven times between February and May, suggesting additional left-wing voices were at the table when it came to immigration. Americans for Public Trust tied the meetings to the liberal policies put into place at the beginning of the administration.

"At a time when our country was barreling toward an unprecedented border crisis, Secretary Mayorkas gave open-borders activists an unusually prominent seat at the table," Americans for Public Trust executive director, Caitlin Sutherland said in a statement to Fox News Digital. 

"This administration’s decision to allow the very people advocating to dismantle DHS to shape its agenda led us to the crisis we’re seeing today. This raises serious questions about who is actually running the show at DHS," she said.

CBP OFFICIALS WARN POTENTIAL ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS THAT ‘BORDER IS NOT OPEN’ AS TITLE 42'S END NEARS

The calendars also show three meetings on "enforcement priorities." between February and May. The administration, after being blocked from imposing a deportation moratorium, would attempt to restrict ICE agents to focusing only on three types of illegal immigrant -- recent border crossers, national security threats and public safety threats. 

Those restrictions, which have now been blocked amid a lawsuit which is before the Supreme Court, coincided with a sharp drop in deportations of illegal immigrants under the administration. Mayorkas, meanwhile, has been facing increasing scrutiny from lawmakers in the Republican-led House, who have blamed his policies for the border crisis and have even floated a possible impeachment. The administration has argued it is trying to open humane pathways for asylum while dealing with what it sees as a hemisphere-wide challenge.

It is unclear if that pace of meetings with the ACLU has continued. DHS and the ACLU did not respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. However, the administration has upset immigration activists -- including the ACLU -- with a number of moves in recent months as it prepares for the end of Title 42 next month.

The administration proposed a rule earlier this year that would bar illegal immigrants from claiming asylum if they have not sought asylum in a prior country through which they passed. That rule drew comparisons from activist groups to the Trump-era transit ban, and the ACLU has threatened to sue over the rule.

Meanwhile, the administration has also looked at holding credible fear hearings in Customs and Border Protection custody, while pausing the implementation of a separate asylum rule ahead of what is expected to be a significant migrant surge next month.

CBP officials warn potential illegal immigrants that ‘border is not open’ as Title 42’s end nears

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials are warning migrants who are thinking of entering the U.S. illegally that the southern border is "not open" — ahead of the end of the Title 42 expulsion authority next month.

"The U.S. Border Patrol in El Paso Sector would like to remind migrants that the border is not open for those without authorization or a legal basis to enter," CBP officials in El Paso said via a statement on Thursday.

Officials have regularly issued warnings in both Spanish and English to combat what they see as misinformation being spread by smugglers and transnational criminal organizations that the border is open.

In the U.S., the debate over the ongoing crisis at the southern border has been fierce. Republicans have accused the administration of adopting "open border" policies that have fueled the crisis — which saw more than 2.3 million migrant encounters in FY 2022 alone. They have pointed to the halting of border wall construction, the ending of Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) and the paroling in of migrants as examples of policies that have encouraged migrants.

HOUSE REPUBLICANS WANT ANSWERS FROM MAYORKAS ON ‘ABUSE OF PAROLE’ AT THE BORDER AFTER FIERY HEARINGS

Recently a Florida judge shut down the Biden administration’s paroling in on migrants with Alternatives to Detention and accused the administration of having "turned the Southwest Border into a meaningless line in the sand and little more than a speedbump for aliens flooding into the country."

The administration says it is restoring legal asylum pathways destroyed by the prior administration while tackling a historic hemisphere-wide challenge. It has also pointed to recent measures introduced in January, including an expansion of expulsions to four countries — Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua and Haiti — along with a humanitarian parole program to allow up to 30,000 migrants from those nations to fly into the U.S. each month. It says those policies have been followed by a sharp drop in encounters at the border.

However, Title 42 is scheduled to end next month on May 11 along with the COVID-19 public health emergency. The order was introduced at the beginning of the pandemic and allows for the rapid expulsion of migrants at the border. Its ending has raised concerns that there will be a fresh surge of migrants at the border who believe they are more likely to be able to be released into the U.S. instead of returned. When the order was set to end at the end of 2022, officials warned of up to 14,000 migrant encounters a day.

FEDERAL JUDGE RULES BIDEN BORDER POLICY UNLAWFUL, A ‘SPEEDBUMP’ FOR ILLEGAL MIGRANTS 

The CBP officials, however, sought to emphasize that removals and other enforcement under the regular Title 8 authorities will still be in place. DHS has separately stated that it has a plan in place to deal with any surge, and will also be introducing an asylum ineligibility for those who cross illegally and have not claimed asylum in a prior country through which they traveled.

"The El Paso Sector is currently working with other sectors to assist with the expulsion of migrants encountered in the El Paso Region. Those migrants that are not amenable to expulsion and do not have a legal basis to remain in the U.S. will be placed in removal proceedings under Title 8. THIS HAS NOT CHANGED," the statement said.

MAYORKAS AGAIN REFUSES TO CALL BORDER SURGE A ‘CRISIS,’ SAYS IT WOULD INDICATE ‘WITHDRAWAL FROM OUR MISSION’

"We would like to emphasize that migrants encountered in the El Paso Sector are also currently being expelled through ports of entry throughout the southwest border," the statement added.

Border policy was under heavy scrutiny last month when Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas appeared before Senate and House committees and defended his agency’s handling of the crisis in the face of fierce Republican criticism. 

Some Republicans have raised the possibility of impeaching Mayorkas for his handling of the crisis, with some lawmakers in the House already introducing impeachment articles against the DHS chief.

Those hearings came after Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz had testified to a House hearing that agents did not have "operational control" of the border and that there were multiple sectors facing a "crisis" situation.
 

Texas Sen. Cornyn tears into Mayorkas over fentanyl, border crisis: ‘You should be fired’

Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, tore into Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Tuesday and said he should be fired over his handling of the ongoing crisis at the southern border and the flow of fentanyl into the U.S.

"My constituents are saying, who's accountable? Who's accountable? Who's paying a price? Who got fired? Well, you haven't been fired. You should be fired," Cornyn said at a Senate Judiciary hearing. "But you haven't been fired because you were carrying out the policies of the Biden administration. And we've seen nothing but death and destruction as a result."

The fiery remarks came as Cornyn quizzed Mayorkas on the flow of fentanyl into the U.S., as well as the ongoing crisis at the southern border -- which saw more than 2.4 million migrant encounters in the U.S. in FY 2022.

More than 70,000 Americans die each year due to fentanyl -- which is primarily produced in Mexico using Chinese precursors and smuggled in across the southern border.

GRAHAM SAYS ‘AMERICA IS UNDER ATTACK’ FROM MEXICAN DRUG CARTELS: ‘WE NEED TO BE AT WAR WITH THEM’ 

Mayorkas and Democrats have noted that the majority (about 90%) of fentanyl seizures occur at the ports of entry, and those arrested are typically U.S. citizens. 

But Republicans have pointed to the enormous number of gotaways who slip past Border Patrol agents between ports of entry and have noted that it is impossible to know how much fentanyl is being smuggled in.

This clash was seen earlier in the exchange when Cornyn asked Mayorkas about how cartels are attempting to overwhelm agents, so they can slip drugs past them. Mayorkas said he was not aware of that strategy and attempted to highlight the seizures at ports of entry.

"Approximately 90% of the fentanyl that is brought into…" Mayorkas said.

"That’s a totally made-up number," Cornyn replied, cutting him off. "You had nearly 1 million people get away from Border Patrol…between 2022 and 2023, you have no idea how many of those people were carrying fentanyl or other drugs with them do you?"

"Senator, The expert view I received is that approximately 90%…" Mayorkas said.

"That’s a totally made-up number, and you know it," Cornyn shot back.

Mayorkas repeated his claim that the majority of fentanyl is brought in via vehicles at the ports.

MEXICAN SEIZURE OF US COMPANY'S FACILITY MARKS LATEST DIPLOMATIC FUROR AMID TENSIONS OVER FENTANYL, CARTELS 

"The expert view I received is that approximately 90% of the fentanyl is brought in through the ports of entry through passenger vehicles, through trucks, through pedestrians," he said.

Cornyn went on to say that Mayorkas had a "credibility problem with the Congress and the American people."

"I have unflinching confidence in the integrity of my conduct," Mayorkas said.

Mayorkas was on the receiving end of a number of lines of tough questioning from Republicans, who grilled the secretary over his handling of the border crisis. It comes as a number of lawmakers in both the House and the Senate have called for his impeachment over the crisis. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, called him "incompetent" and accused him of being "willing to allow children to be raped to follow political orders."

Mayorkas called the remarks "revolting" and a DHS spokesperson later followed up with a statement backing the secretary.

"Secretary Mayorkas is proud to advance the noble mission of this Department, support its extraordinary workforce, and serve the American people. The Department will continue to enforce our laws and secure our border, protect the nation from terrorism, improve our cybersecurity, all while building a safe, orderly, and humane immigration system. Instead of pointing fingers, Congress should work with the Department and pass legislation to fix our broken immigration system, which has not been updated in over 40 years," the spokesperson said.

Mayorkas slams ‘callous’ smugglers’ ‘profit’ motive for latest tragedy at the border

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Friday took aim at "callous" smugglers responsible for the deaths of two migrants in a rail car in Texas – accusing the smugglers of only caring about "making a profit."

"We are heartbroken to learn of yet another tragic incident of migrants taking the dangerous journey," the DHS chief said in a statement.

Uvalde Police Department said that approximately 15 people in need of medical attention had been found in the rail car, which had been stopped by Border Patrol two to three miles east of Knippa, Texas, after a 911 call warning of migrants suffocating. Two of those migrants died, five were air-lifted to San Antonio, and five were taken to nearby hospitals. 

Mayorkas praised Border Patrol agents and the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents supporting the investigation.

"We will work with the Uvalde County Sheriff’s Office to hold those responsible," he said. "Smugglers are callous and only care about making a profit."

MIGRANT DEATHS ON TEXAS TRAIN MARK LATEST BORDER INCIDENT IN STRING OF RECENT TRAGEDIES: ‘HEARTBROKEN’ 

The tragedy comes after the death of eight migrants earlier this month on two smuggling vessels that capsized off the coast of Southern California and is one of a number of deadly incidents at or near the border in recent years.

In FY 2022, there were 856 migrant deaths, marking the highest on record and coming amid record numbers of migrant encounters at the southern border.

TEXAS AUTHORITIES SAY AT LEAST 2 MIGRANTS DEAD, OVER A DOZEN INJURED AFTER SUFFOCATING IN TRAIN CAR

The administration has repeatedly appealed to migrants not to make the treacherous journey north and not to put their lives into the hands of smugglers. Instead, they have called on migrants to take advantage of the legal asylum pathways the administration has either created or expanded – while also tackling "root causes" in Central America. 

However, while the administration believes it has turned the corner and has seen a decrease in illegal border crossings in January and February, crossings remain high, and Republicans have blamed the crisis on the Biden administration’s rolling back of Trump-era border protections.

Republicans in the House have zeroed in on Mayorkas, in particular, for his handling of the crisis. Some Republicans, including Speaker Kevin McCarthy, have floated a possible impeachment of the DHS chief, while others have introduced articles of impeachment against him.

Mayorkas has brushed off those calls but was recently dealt a blow when Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz told lawmakers that DHS does not have "operational control" of the southern border. Mayorkas had told lawmakers last year that DHS does have operational control of the border.

The hearing was held by the House Homeland Security Committee to "examine the direct link between President Biden and Secretary Mayorkas’ reckless border policies and the unprecedented crisis at our Southwest border" and was one of a number of hearings and visits being held at the border itself by Republicans, now that they control the chamber.

Fox News' Bill Melugin and Brie Stimson contributed to this report.