by Sharon Rondeau
(Jan. 24, 2024) — On Wednesday U.S. House of Representatives Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mark Green (R-TN7) announced the group will “mark up” Articles of Impeachment accusing DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas of committing “high crimes and misdemeanors” in the course of his official duties.
On this past weekend’s “Sunday Morning Futures” with Maria Bartiromo, Green indicated the committee would consider the Articles once certain members returned after recovering from illness at the end of the month.
At the time, Green said once the markup passes out of committee, he believed the full House will vote in favor of impeachment, which would send the Articles to the Senate for that chamber’s consideration and presumed trial.
Green’s statement reads, in part:
Over the last year, the House Committee on Homeland Security conducted a comprehensive investigation into the causes, costs, and consequences of the unprecedented crisis at America’s borders, holding 10 hearings, publishing six reports totaling roughly 400 pages, and conducting extensive interviews with chief patrol agents for the U.S. Border Patrol. Our thorough and fair investigation exposed Secretary Mayorkas’ abuse of power and refusal to comply with the law. In November, 201 Democrats voted to refer articles of impeachment against the secretary to our Committee and, having completed impeachment hearings earlier this month, we plan to mark up those articles next week.
The “markup” process consists of a convening of committee members “to determine whether a bill or draft bill should be recommended to the full House and, if so, in what form,” the Congressional Research Service (CRS) reports. “At the beginning of a markup,
committee members often make opening statements, usually not exceeding five minutes apiece. The first reading of the text of the bill to be marked up can be waived, either by unanimous consent or by adopting a non-debatable motion.”
Prior to scheduling the markup, the committee conducted an investigation which yielded five “interim reports,” two public hearings and an appendix of transcribed interviews summarized as:
- Never before have agents seen such historic numbers of illegal crossings
- The lack of consequences enforced by this administration for illegal entry
- Mass releases functioning as a pull factor for millions of illegal aliens
- Illegal aliens are now turning themselves in to Border Patrol, knowing they will be released into the interior
- The expansive degree of cartel control at the Southwest border
- Agents are being taken out of the field in order to help process and release illegal aliens
- Illegal aliens are spreading the word of our open border back home, encouraging more crossings
- The operational impacts of open borders, including closed checkpoints and national security/public safety risks
- Border Patrol sector chiefs contradict Secretary Mayorkas and say they do not have operational control in their sectors
Tuesday’s meeting begins at 10:00 a.m. EST and will be livestreamed on the committee’s YouTube channel.