In a vote in the House of Representatives, where Republicans hold the majority, two articles of impeachment against Majorcas were approved with 214 yes votes against 213 no votes.
A FIRST AFTER 148 YEARS
For the first time since 1876, a cabinet member has been indicted for impeachment by the House of Representatives, while the Democratic-majority Senate will decide whether Mayorkas will continue in office.
Mayorkas, accused by Republicans of "failing to implement policies on border security" and "making false statements to Congress," will be tried in a court to be established in the Senate, which will return from recess on February 26.
DEMOCRATS REACT TO THE DECISION
House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican who failed to pass articles of impeachment against Mayorkas in last week's vote, said he was pleased that impeachment articles against the Democratic minister passed in the final vote.
Johnson argued that the number of illegal immigrants entering the borders in the last year has broken a record and that the Biden administration has not done its duty on this issue.
Reacting to the decision, Democrats claimed that the articles of impeachment against Mayorkas were purely politically motivated and not legitimate.
Under US law, when an official is indicted for impeachment by the House of Representatives, senators in the Senate are sworn in as a jury to decide whether the person should remain in office.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement that senators will be sworn in as a jury as soon as possible after returning from vacation on February 26, and that they will proceed with the trial of Mayorkas.
In the vote at the end of the trial, Mayorkas will be dismissed from his post if 2/3 of the senators in the 100-seat Senate vote "yes".
Democrats, who hold the majority in the Senate, are not expected to sign a resolution to remove Mayorkas from office.
Republicans have long harshly criticized Mayorkas' and the Biden administration's policies on the Mexican border.
