In the News

WASHINGTON, April 29, 2022 — At Thursday’s House Judiciary Committee hearing, “Oversight of the United States Department of Homeland Security,” United States Representative Mike Johnson (LA-04) highlighted Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas’ dereliction of duty.

“Sir, you’re the seventh Secretary of Homeland Security, in charge of the third largest federal department in the United States, and the largest immigration system in the world,” Johnson opened. “Of all our federal agencies, I think yours is the one that has the smallest margin for error, because if the Secretary of Homeland Security is unable or unwilling to perform his duties and accomplish his mission, crime surges, chaos ensues, and innocent people die. Mr. Mayorkas, that is exactly what is happening on your watch.”

“You have presided over the greatest immigration catastrophe in American history. And it’s an objective truth that you have helped design and implement this system,” Johnson continued.

“I called for your resignation in July of last year and explained then that it had already become crystal clear that you are either unable or unwilling to do your job,” Johnson concluded. “We’ve concluded [now] you’re doing this intentionally. It is despicable. I believe these are impeachable offenses.”

“Mr. Secretary, my advice to you is to begin your search for a different career field very soon, because there will be an election, and the American people will let their voices be heard on this, and we will be retaking the majority.”

“Mr. Secretary, at your oath of office ceremony on February 2nd, 2021, you said ‘the mission of the Department of Homeland Security is to safeguard the American people, our homeland, and our values.’

“On the website of DHS, it describes the mission. It says ‘the Department of Homeland Security secures the nation’s air, land, and sea borders to prevent illegal activity, and is focused on securing our borders and keeping our communities safe.’

“Sir, you’re the seventh Secretary of Homeland Security, in charge of the third largest federal department in the United States, and the largest immigration system in the world. You are given immense power, and an absolutely critical responsibility. Of all our federal agencies, sir, I think yours is the one that has the smallest margin of error, because if the Secretary of Homeland Security is unable or unwilling to give these answers, to perform his duties, and accomplish his mission, crime surges, chaos ensues, and innocent people die.

“Mr. Mayorkas, that is exactly what is happening on your watch. All of us have been down to the border, we’ve seen this with their own eyes, and we are outraged, and so are our constituents, and all law abiding citizens in this country. They are outraged because of your deliberate and defiant policies.

“These are the documented facts:

“We have a literal invasion of lawless masses flooding over our border from more than 160 countries. The safety and security of the American people are being directly threatened, and innocent children are being abducted, assaulted, raped, and murdered by human traffickers. Countless numbers of known terrorists and vicious gang members are clearly coming across our border and making their way into our communities all over the country. The precious treasure of American taxpayers is being used to incentivize and reward all of this, because illegals are given food, clothing, health care, cell phones, welfare benefits. Taxpayers are also paying for ghost flights and bus tickets, so they can be sent around and secretly transferred into all of our communities across the country.

“It is your policies, and because of them, that our entire country is becoming a crime scene. And we are dealing with a humanitarian disaster that would have been unimaginable just three or four years ago. Because of your policies, the drug cartels are making billions of dollars and building their empires, and they are drowning in our streets in fentanyl and other deadly substances. And that has made drug overdoses, as you know now, the number one cause of death for Americans ages 18 to 45.

“Our brave border patrol and law enforcement agencies and officers are completely overwhelmed, and they are personally endangered. And the rule of law is being trampled underfoot. And the stability and the very sovereignty of our nation is being threatened like never before.

“I had a long list of questions I was anxious to ask you today, but I’ve been watching you. You’ve been on Capitol Hill for three days now, you’ve been in three committees. You have an extraordinary talent, I think, for evading questions. And you provide answers that are not accurate, and that’s documented. You’re insulting the intelligence of the American people, and you’re subjecting them to extraordinary danger. This is not a game. It’s been detailed over and over this week, and here again today. You have presided over the greatest immigration catastrophe in American history. And it’s an objective truth that you have helped design and implement this system.

“You took your oath of office in February last year, and by the end of your first year, ICE recorded the highest number of border crossings and the lowest number of deportations in history. Fact.

“You have stated publicly in direct defiance of our laws that ‘being here illegally by itself is not enough to be removed.’ If DHS does not deport illegals, that is, apprehend and quickly remove people who cross into our country illegally, then we have no border security at all.

“We all know that after Title 42 is repealed, 18,000 immigrants a day are going to come over that border, and it’s going to be a total collapse of operational control. If people are allowed to simply walk in here and live and work and collect taxpayer funded benefits and assistance for years upon years, and maybe permanently, then in a very short period of time, we’ll be totally overwhelmed. We’ll be crushed by the sheer numbers and the weight of illegal immigration, and there will no longer be any border, any security here, any sovereignty at all. We won’t have a country.

“I called for your resignation in July of last year and explained then that it had already become crystal clear that you are either unable or unwilling to do your job. But as has been said here today now, based upon the facts and the evidence, we’ve concluded you’re doing this intentionally. It is despicable. I believe these are impeachable offenses.

“Mr. Secretary, my advice to you is to begin your search for a different career field very soon, because there will be an election, and the American people will let their voices be heard on this, and we will be retaking the majority.

“I ask unanimous consent to enter into the record a letter from 133 Members of Congress to the Secretary, expressing our concern that his actions in opening our border in inaction and enforcing our laws are endangering American lives.”

Congressman Johnson is the Vice Chairman of the House Republican Conference, a member of the House Judiciary and Armed Services Committees, and a former constitutional law litigator.