Chertoff tells Republicans: Don’t impeach Mayorkas

Former Republican-appointed Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff had clear advice for the House GOP as they work to topple his successor: “Don’t impeach Alejandro Mayorkas.”

In a Wall Street Journal op-ed ahead of a Tuesday markup on articles of impeachment to remove Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, Chertoff was critical of the Republicans’ case.

The articles released Sunday accuse Mayorkas of failing to carry out immigration laws as well as “breach of public trust,” an argument that comes after they have said he is “derelict” in his duty to secure the border.

“I can say with confidence that, for all the investigating that the House Committee on Homeland Security has done, they have failed to put forth evidence that meets the bar,” Chertoff writes.

“This is why Republicans aren’t seeking to hold Mr. Mayorkas to the Constitution’s ‘high crimes and misdemeanors’ standard for impeachment. They make the unsupported argument that he is derelict in his duty.”

Chertoff, who served under the George W. Bush administration, is not the only Republican to criticize their party’s effort to impeach Mayorkas.

Conservative commentator and law professor Jonathan Turley has likewise argued GOP lawmakers have not met the standard for impeachment and are instead seeking to improperly boot Mayorkas over policy differences. A bipartisan group of legal experts made similar arguments.

While the GOP complains Mayorkas hasn’t detained a sufficient number of migrants as required under law, the U.S. has never had the bed capacity or funding to detain every migrant.

Chertoff noted that under Mayorkas, DHS has “removed, returned or expelled” the majority of migrants encountered at the border but that the department for years has been struggling to operate under an outdated immigration system “without adequate congressional support.” 

But he also addressed attacks on Mayorkas’s character and assertions he is not upholding his duties.

“Despite our different parties, I know Mr. Mayorkas to be fair and honest — dedicated to the safety and security of the U.S. He has represented DHS to the country and to both parties in Congress with integrity,” Chertoff wrote.

“Republicans in the House should drop this impeachment charade and work with Mr. Mayorkas to deliver for the American people.”