House impeaches Homeland Security secretary

U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas on Tuesday became the first cabinet member impeached in almost a century and a half. The House of Representatives voted 214-213 to impeach Mayorkas. Three Republicans sided with Democrats against the impeachment.

Didn’t the House fail to impeach Mayorkas recently? House Republicans had failed to secure the support necessary to impeach Mayorkas, with the measure falling short in a 214-216 vote last week. House Republicans then brought the motion to the floor for the second time this week.

Why did he get impeached? In two articles of impeachment, House Republicans have accused Mayorkas of failing to enforce the law and of breaching the public’s trust over his alleged failure to secure the United States’ southern border properly. Mayorkas has denied wrongdoing, and Democrats have criticized the impeachment efforts as politically motivated.

Dig deeper: Read Addie Offereins’ report in Compassion about how evangelicals are trying to bring Biblical views to the immigration debate.