US homeland security secretary impeached by Republican-held House

WASHINGTON -- One week after a failed impeachment vote, the Republican-held US House of Representatives on Tuesday voted to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, making him the first cabinet member to be impeached in nearly 150 years.

On Feb 6, Mayorkas narrowly survived an impeachment vote in the House, with a vote tally of 214 to 216.

In the latest development, the lower chamber voted 214 to 213, with three Republicans defecting from their party to join Democrats to vote against the impeachment against the Biden administration's top border official.

Mayorkas was impeached for "willful and systemic refusal to comply with the law" in enforcing border policy and for breaching public trust.

Republican legislators claimed that Mayorkas has not fulfilled his duties. However, both the Department of Homeland Security and congressional Democrats have dismissed the endeavors to impeach Mayorkas as politically driven maneuvers.