No-Confidence Vote Against Mayorkas Fails in Senate

A unanimous resolution to officially declare the Senate’s loss of confidence in US Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas failed to pass yesterday, January 9th. 

The resolution was brought by Senators Rick Scott (R-FL) and Roger Marshall (R- KS). 

The Senators claim Secretary Mayorkas’ management of the border has generated an unprecedented migratory crisis and disqualifies him from his post. 

Senator Scott stated Mayorkas “is derelict in his duty and has put every American in harm’s way,” while speaking on the Senate floor. 

Scott also blamed President Joe Biden for his role in directing ineffective border and migration policies. “The crisis on our border is the direct cause of Biden’s dangerous and intentional policies,” stated Scott.

According to Scott’s team, over 6.7 million individuals have been identified as illegally attempting to cross the southern border since President Biden’s inauguration. 

Moreover, in November 2023, Customs and Border Protection recorded 242,418 encounters at the southern border, a 40% increase compared to November 2021. 

Despite the migratory crisis, however, Senator Tom Carper (D-DE) blocked Scott and Marshall’s no-confidence resolution. 

In the House of Representatives, Republicans have been intensifying impeachment conversations.

Representative Kat Cammack (R-FL) called Mayorkas "dangerous" and openly discussed her consideration of moving for impeachment in the coming weeks. 

Other Republican representatives have stated they will permit a government funding lapse unless the border is secured. 

Among others, US Representative Cory Mills (R-Fl) expressed his commitment to either "shutdown the border or shutdown the government."

Representative Mills' comments are representative of many Republican lawmakers' willingness to compel Democrats to compromise on immigration reform and tighter border enforcement.

Last November, conservative lawmakers leveraged government funding to encourage Democrats and President Joe Biden to acquiesce to Republican requests for decreased spending and immigration enforcement.

A government shutdown was averted due to ex-House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy's passage of a temporary spending bill.