By Steve Neavling
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, who is facing impeachment efforts by House Republicans, has agreed to appear before Congress to defend his record.
The impeachment hearings were officially launched this week by the House Homeland Security Committee, which accuses Mayorkas of “egregious misconduct and refusal to enforce the law” in connection with immigration policies.
In a Jan. 5 letter to Mayorkas, committee chairman, Mark Green, R-Tenn., requested the secretary to appear for a hearing on Jan. 18. Now Green says Mayorkas is declining to appear.
But a letter from Homeland Security’s assistant secretary of legislative affairs, obtained by NBC News, indicates Mayorkas is willing to testify.
“In keeping with the Secretary’s commitment to cooperate with Congressional Committees, he will make himself available to testify before the Committee,” the letter states. “Consistent with the customary accommodations process, we look forward to working through the details with Committee staff members and agreeing upon the date and structure of the hearing.”
“As you can appreciate, the Secretary’s schedule is quite committed with the work of the Department including hosting Mexican Cabinet Members next week to discuss border enforcement,” the letter said.
One hour after the letter was sent, Green said in a statement, “It is deeply troubling that Secretary Mayorkas has refused the Committee’s multiple requests to appear before a co-equal branch of government. For months, we have tried to work with his office to secure his testimony before the Committee so the American people can receive some much-needed transparency about the causes, costs, and consequences of the unprecedented border crisis.”
