House to Submit Impeachment Articles of Mayorkas to Senate, Triggering Trial

House Speaker Mike Johnson has sent impeachment charges against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to the Senate, accusing him of willfully and systematically refusing to enforce existing immigration laws. The Senate is now obligated to convene a trial, but Democrats are expected to try to dismiss or table the charges before the arguments begin.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has indicated that he may have enough votes to end the trial immediately. However, Republicans argue that there should be a full trial to hold Mayorkas accountable for his handling of the border crisis. The House narrowly voted to impeach Mayorkas in February, making him the first Cabinet secretary to be impeached in nearly 150 years.

The impeachment proceedings have been delayed for weeks as both chambers finished work on government funding legislation. Senate Republicans have expressed the need for a full trial to examine the evidence against Mayorkas and come to a final conclusion.

If the Senate proceeds with an impeachment trial, it would be the third in five years. Senators would be required to sit through weeks of arguments and potentially call witnesses. Mayorkas, however, has expressed his hope that the Senate proceedings do not interfere with his work.

The outcome of the impeachment trial remains uncertain, as Democrats control the Senate by a slim majority. If the charges are not dismissed, the Senate may choose to create a trial committee to investigate the allegations further. The impeachment trial comes at a critical time, with immigration and border security dominating the political landscape in a presidential election year.