By NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Kansas First District Congressman Tracey Mann explained his vote on the impeachment of Alejandro Mayorkas, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. He voted in favor of sending the articles over to the Senate. The vote was 214-213.
"It baffles me a little bit that it was so close," Mann said. "To me, it's an easy decision. The Constitution gives the House of Representatives the sole power of impeachment. It states that civil officers of the U.S. can be impeached for treason, bribery or other high crimes and misdemeanors. When you look at Secretary Mayorkas, what's happening with the southern border, his willful decisions not to comply with our nation's immigration laws, breaching the public trust of the Congress and the American people, it's unfortunate that it's to this point. Something must be done, though."
The Senate is set to take up the impeachment trial on Feb. 26.
"Since Biden came into office, we've had 8.3 million folks come into the country illegally," Mann said. "Today, there are at least a dozen things the President could do that would not completely solve the problem, but we would see the numbers plummet."
Mann gave some examples of action the administration could take.
"The Border Patrol tells us that if the President would just reinstate remain in Mexico and also end catch and release, they think that illegal immigration would drop overnight by as much as 70%," Mann said. "That's something the President should have done two years ago and could do today."
The Remain in Mexico policy, when it was in force, required migrants seeking asylum to remain in Mexico until their US immigration court date.