By Steve Neavling
The Republican-led U.S. House will deliver two articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to the Senate on April 10, House Speaker Mike Johnson said Thursday.
Mayorkas was impeached in the House by a single vote last month on allegations that he failed to enforce immigration laws.
“We will present to you upon the Senate’s return, on April 10, 2024, the duly passed articles of impeachment,” Johnson and 11 Republican impeachment managers told Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer in a letter Thursday.
Both the Senate and House are on a two-week recess.
“We urge you to schedule a trial on the matter expeditiously,” the letter states.
However, Democrats, who hold a slim majority in the Senate, have shown no interest in holding a trial, calling it a political stunt with no merit. They are expected to move to quickly dismiss the impeachment case.
To dismiss the case, Democrats need at least 51 votes. That would mean every Democrat and the chamber’s three Independents would need to vote to dismiss, unless some Republicans join them.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has not yet said what he plans to do, but he could move to dismiss the trial or table the two articles, which would end the House effort.
If Democrats don’t have the votes to dismiss the trial or table the articles, they could vote to create a trial committee to investigate the charges.
The other option is to hold a trial, which could take weeks.
