Johnson says he believes DHS secretary ‘committed impeachable offenses’

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said Wednesday he believes Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has “committed impeachable offenses,” but stopped short of backing an impeachment effort.

“I mean, it’s inexcusable what he’s done. I believe he’s committed impeachable offenses, but we only have so much time and resources to go after that,” Johnson told Fox News’s Sean Hannity in an interview.

Johnson said he previously told Mayorkas he’s “not sure” what he has done for the southern border, other than cause “great harm.”

The Speaker also said House Republicans would “marry” appropriations bills for Ukraine funding with border security.

“Well, with our appropriations bills for Ukraine funding, for example, we’re gonna marry that with border security,” Johnson said. “The two things are gonna be handled together, because we believe it’s a top priority.”

“We can’t be expected to take care of other countries and other conflicts if we can’t seal our own border,” he added.

While Johnson has been a longtime critic of the DHS and Mayorkas, it’s the first time he’s spoken as strongly about the Homeland Security secretary during a public appearance as Speaker.

In August, Johnson accused Mayorkas in a post to X, formerly Twitter, of lying under oath before the House Homeland Security Committee.

House Republicans on the Homeland Security Committee launched an investigation in June that would serve as a basis for an impeachment inquiry in June. But the party is not united in its support for the effort. Moderate Republicans have not backed the impeachment, and conservative Republicans have not been able to persuade party leadership to take up the cause.

The House Homeland Security Committee does not have the power to ignite an impeachment inquiry, which falls to the House Judiciary Committee.

But House Judiciary Republicans appeared split in July when it came time to discuss the prospect of a Mayorkas impeachment. Some members outright said Mayorkas’ time was up while many others refrained from entertaining the idea of impeachment.