Washington, D.C - The House of Representatives narrowly passed a vote to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, marking the first impeachment of a cabinet member in nearly 150 years.
Republicans predominantly hold Mayorkas responsible for an unprecedented surge in migrants at the US-Mexico border.
With a vote of 214 to 213, the Republican-led chamber approved the measure, following an unsuccessful attempt last week.
The issue now proceeds to the Democratic-controlled Senate, where it's expected to fail.
President Joe Biden criticized the vote as a "blatant act of unconstitutional partisanship" and a "political stunt."
Critics of Mayorkas accused him of failing to fulfill his oath to "well and faithfully discharge the duties" of his office by not taking stronger actions to secure the border.
The vote largely fell along party lines, with 210 Democrats voting against impeachment, joined by three Republican representatives: Tom McClintock of California, Ken Buck of Colorado, and Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin.
These three dissenters also opposed the initial impeachment attempt, arguing that impeaching a cabinet member without serious wrongdoing would diminish the constitutional penalty and fail to address the border crisis effectively.
Since 2021, over 6.3 million migrants have entered the US illegally, intensifying immigration as a divisive and politically charged issue ahead of the November election.
This issue features prominently in Donald Trump's campaign to remove Biden from office.
Following the vote, Biden issued a statement defending Mayorkas, praising him as "an honorable public servant" who has faithfully upheld the rule of law and demonstrated a deep commitment to American values.
A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, Mia Ehrenberg, criticized Republicans for focusing on impeachment instead of working to address the significant challenges at the border.
Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson asserted that Mayorkas "deserves to be impeached."
In January, during two hearings, Republicans accused Mayorkas of failing to enforce immigration policies and misleading statements about border security.
During the vote, Democrat Al Green of Texas, wearing hospital scrubs after emergency surgery, unexpectedly appeared to cast his vote against impeachment.
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, returning after cancer treatment, also voted, providing Republicans with the margin needed for the vote to pass.
Impeachment, outlined in the US Constitution, initiates the process of removing a federal official for high crimes or misdemeanors, requiring a simple majority in the House and then a trial in the Senate, where a two-thirds majority is necessary for conviction.
Given the Senate's narrow Democratic control, the impeachment effort is unlikely to succeed.
The House is scheduled to present the impeachment articles to the Senate on February 26th.
The last cabinet secretary to be impeached was Secretary of War William Belknap in 1876, although he resigned shortly before the vote.
A January poll conducted by CBS indicates that nearly half of Americans consider the border situation a crisis, with 63% supporting "tougher" border policies.
The US Customs and Border Protection agency reported a 50% decrease in border crossings in January, attributing the decline to seasonal trends and enhanced enforcement efforts.