With Republicans expected to take back the House of Representatives, curbing the Biden administration's agenda is a big priority. Of note is that the border crisis looks like it will come to a head. Earlier this week, Rep. Kat Cammack (R-FL-3) grilled Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas about the border.
His evasive conduct in the hearing has increased demands for his resignation or impeachment, which is the major focus of a recent interview with Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL-18) with The Floridian's Javier Manjarres.
Rep. Sanford Bishop (R-NC) asked Mayorkas if the border is secure. Mayorkas says yes, while FBI Director Christopher Wray says "there is criminality all over the place." What would you like to see at the border? Should Mayorkas be fired, and step down? Should he resign?
Mast answers, "yes, I would like to see Mayorkas gone."
He then elaborates on the defunct Remain in Mexico policy put in place by President Donald Trump.
"But there's a lot more to it than just, "remain in Mexico,"" he says.
Mast adds that a major component of the policy involves adjudicating asylum claims. "These people claiming asylum, they're not running away from officials. They're running to them."
Furthermore, Mast describes how not only President Trump negotiated how these individuals would adjudicate through their country of origin's consulates and embassies, but also with the Mexican authorities to ensure "that they're securing the border on their side, that they're not letting people cross, that they're actually playing a border role as well."
Despite this, Mast says "that has been totally moved away from." He adds that "I think you need to return to a number of those policies that fell under Remain in Mexico where we were also working with the Mexican government to actively keep people out, which is void at this point."
With Republicans poised to take the majority, it appears that Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) will lead a lot of these investigations. Do you think if Mayorkas is called to testify, he could be impeached? Do you support that?
"I think there are clear-cut examples of Mayorkas flat-out lying to Congress, and lying to the American people about what's going on at the border," Mast answers. He adds that this goes "right up to the point of yesterday. The southern border is not secure." Mast goes so far as to say that not only can this be demonstrated since Biden's inauguration, but it is a priority of his administration.
Instead, Mast postulates,"the priority of their administration was not to secure the southern border. It was, "open the border. Get rid of the Remain in Mexico policy. Stop the construction of the southern border wall, physical security stopping people from coming in." While he acknowledges the message will change, stating a desire for a "safe," "humane," and "welcoming" border, "they would literally not say the word "secure," Mast notes.
