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Republicans on the House Homeland Security Committee are searching for written testimony from DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas amid a prolonged back-and-forth with the company over him probably testifying at an impeachment listening to — as DHS is blasting what it says is a “bad-faith, predetermined and unconstitutional rush” to question him.
Chairman Mark Green despatched a letter to Mayorkas providing him the chance to submit written testimony forward of the second impeachment listening to on Thursday — which can concentrate on the victims of unlawful immigrant crime.
“As stated in earlier letters to you, your perspective on the crisis at the border and actions you have taken as secretary are valuable for the Members of the Committee and the American public to hear. Regretfully, every invitation for almost half a year we extended to you to testify focused specifically on the border crisis has been rejected or subject to endless delay tactics,” Green stated, requesting written testimony as an alternative.
Chairman Mark Green, R-Tenn., conducts a information convention forward of the House Homeland Security Committee listening to to “Examine Secretary Mayorkas Dereliction of Duty,” in Cannon Building on Wednesday, June 14, 2023. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc by way of Getty Images)
Republicans, who held the primary listening to earlier this month, have accused Mayorkas of a “dereliction of duty” and a “willful violation of his oath” in his dealing with of the disaster on the southern border, the place there have been document ranges of migrant encounters. They have stated that the growth of “catch-and-release” and the rollback of Trump-era insurance policies have fueled a historic disaster with devastating results on the nation.
The administration says it’s coping with a hemisphere-wide disaster and wishes extra funding and reform from Congress. It has pointed to greater than one million returns of migrants in FY 2022 and FY 2023 and a document seizure of fentanyl by officers on the border.
Green’s workplace had invited Mayorkas to testify in particular person on the listening to earlier this month. DHS replied, saying he couldn’t testify on the listening to on Thursday on account of different commitments together with internet hosting a Mexican delegation, however was open to testifying at a future date and stated it might work to discover a date and listening to construction with committee members.
Republicans painted that response as a refusal to testify, arguing that they’ve been attempting to get Mayorkas to testify at a border-specific listening to since August. DHS has fiercely denied that the letter counted as a refusal to testify and stated that Mayorkas has testified 27 instances in 35 months, greater than another Cabinet member, together with at a Worldwide Threats listening to earlier than the committee in November. DHS says that Republicans didn’t present any alternate dates or choices to DHS, nor did they reply to makes an attempt to determine a date.
Spokesperson Mia Ehrenberg tore into what she stated was the “latest example of Committee Republicans’ sham process.”
U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas holds a press convention at a U.S. Border Patrol station on January 08, 2024 in Eagle Pass, Texas. (John Moore/Getty Images)
“It’s abundantly clear that they are not interested in hearing from Secretary Mayorkas since it doesn’t fit into their bad-faith, predetermined and unconstitutional rush to impeach him. Last week, the Secretary offered to testify publicly before the Committee; in the time since, the Committee failed to respond to DHS to find a mutually agreeable date,” she stated.
“Instead, they provided this offer of written testimony to the media before any outreach to the Department. CHS Republicans have yet again demonstrated their preference for playing politics rather than work together to address the serious issues at the border,” she stated.
Homeland Republicans, in flip, stated that Mayorkas has now “tacitly refused” 3 times regardless of what they are saying is flexibility.
HOUSE HOMELAND DEMOCRATS BACK MAYORKAS, SLAM GOP ‘SHAM’ AHEAD OF IMPEACHMENT HEARING
“Secretary Mayorkas can object all he wants, but the paper trail is clear–he has consistently, tacitly refused to show up,” the bulk stated on X, previously often known as Twitter after accusing Mayorkas of “indefinite delays.”
Democrats on the Committee backed the administration and known as the impeachment push “just another political stunt.”
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“They refused to accept his offer to testify at a later date because it doesn’t fit with their arbitrary, rushed timeline dictated by extreme MAGA Republicans Illegitimate impeachment,” they stated, calling the impeachment illegitimate.
Meanwhile, Fox confirmed that the listening to would be the final listening to and the subsequent step will probably be for the committee to schedule a markup of the impeachment articles.
Fox News’ Kelly Phares contributed to this report.
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