April 11, 2024
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) and 42 of his Senate GOP colleagues have called on Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) to hold a trial to consider the impeachment of Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.
Senator Cornyn, along with his colleagues, expressed their concerns about the situation at the southern border, stating, "Our brave men and women at Customs and Border Protection have worked tirelessly to make our nation safer, yet with 7.5 million encounters since President Biden took office, our southern border is a national security disaster." They emphasized the significant increase in encounters in fiscal year 2023 and described the border crisis under Secretary Mayorkas as a nightmare for the American people.
The Senators highlighted that the House of Representatives has already impeached Secretary Mayorkas, calling it the Senate's constitutional duty to hold a trial. Senator Cornyn pointed out the historical precedent, stating, "In every previous congressional impeachment of the past 227 years, Congress has been faithful to the process set out by the framers… Never before has the Senate abandoned this duty, even when certain members believed the basis for impeachment was tenuous at best."
The letter to Senator Schumer was led by Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and signed by a total of 42 GOP Senators. It urged the Senate to fulfill its constitutional responsibility and properly adjudicate the impeachment of Secretary Mayorkas. The Senators emphasized the importance of holding a trial to allow the American people to hear the evidence and uphold the longstanding tradition of Senate impeachment trials.
The call for a trial comes in the midst of ongoing concerns about the situation at the southern border and the impact on national security. The Senators are urging Senator Schumer to proceed with the trial, following the historical precedent set by previous impeachments in the Senate.
The full text of the letter can be accessed for further details on the Senators' demands.