Home to ship Mayorkas impeachment articles to Senate on April 10, teeing up conflict over trial

Washington — Home Republicans are set to current the articles of impeachment towards Division of Homeland Safety Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to the Senate after Congress returns from recess subsequent month, kickstarting a conflict over an impeachment trial within the higher chamber that Democrats are anticipated to work to rapidly quash. 

Speaker Mike Johnson and the Home impeachment managers wrote in a letter to Senate Majority Chief Chuck Schumer on Thursday that they intend to current the Senate with the impeachment articles on Wednesday, April 10, after each chambers return from a two-week break.

“If he cares in regards to the Structure and ending the devastation brought on by Biden’s border disaster, Senator Schumer will rapidly schedule a full public trial and listen to the arguments put forth by our impeachment managers,” Johnson mentioned in an announcement. 

The Home voted to question Mayorkas final month, the primary time a Cupboard secretary has been impeached in practically 150 years. Now, the higher chamber is compelled by Senate guidelines to convene as a court docket of impeachment shortly after the articles are transmitted from the Home. However how lengthy the trial lasts within the Democratic-controlled Senate, the place the hassle is broadly seen as a political stunt, is one other query.

Johnson introduced that the impeachment managers embrace Reps. Mark Inexperienced of Tennessee, Michael McCaul of Texas, Andy Biggs of Arizona and Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, amongst others. 

Why was Mayorkas impeached? 

Congressional Republicans have aimed to punish Mayorkas over the Biden administration’s dealing with of the U.S.-Mexico border. They allege that the secretary has didn’t implement the nation’s legal guidelines and detain hundreds of migrants, regardless of pushback from the Division of Homeland Safety, Democrats and a small variety of Republicans.  

The two articles of impeachment accuse Mayorkas of “willful and systemic refusal to adjust to the regulation” and a “breach of public belief.” Final month, the Home voted narrowly to question Mayorkas beneath the articles, in a vote that got here after an preliminary try failed.

What’s the Senate’s position within the impeachment course of?

Impeachment is barely step one towards eradicating an official from workplace. Whereas the Home has the “sole Energy” of impeachment beneath the Structure, the Senate has the authority to carry a trial, which may lead to elimination from workplace. However what that trial seems like is essentially as much as the Senate itself.

Senate guidelines counsel that when the Home transmits the articles of impeachment to the higher chamber, the chamber should schedule a trial to start the subsequent legislative day. However as soon as the Senate has convened, every part is determined by a majority. Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents management 51 seats, which means they may vote on a variety of totally different paths ahead that would pace up, delay or dismiss the impeachment outright, if they continue to be united.

After the Home impeachment managers current the impeachment articles to the higher chamber, senators will likely be sworn in as jurors within the trial the subsequent day, Schumer’s workplace mentioned. Sen. Patty Murray, a Washington Democrat and the president professional tempore of the Senate, will preside. 

Alan He contributed reporting.