A swelling chorus of Border Patrol agents, increasingly disillusioned by the Biden administration’s lax approach to enforcing immigration laws, are vocally demanding action from the Senate to impeach Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.
In the wake of the House’s decision to impeach Mayorkas on February 13, five federal agents, speaking to the Washington Examiner, highlighted the deteriorating situation since his confirmation by the Democrat-controlled Senate in February 2021.
Expressing concerns that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) might swiftly dismiss the impeachment articles without a trial, one California-based agent vented frustration, stating, “I want to see our government take action!! It took them long enough.”
Another agent from California, with two decades of service, emphasized the need for accountability, asserting, “Yes, I would like to see a trial… He let it get out of control. He is responsible as head of this agency.”
Highlighting the stark reality of the situation, these agents emphasized the surge in illegal crossings, with the prosecution rates failing to deter smugglers effectively. “They know we won’t prosecute them,” lamented one agent, underscoring Mayorkas’s failure to maintain order.
Since assuming office under President Joe Biden, Mayorkas oversaw the encounter of over 8 million non-U.S. citizens at the border, with many entering unlawfully. The dismantling of former President Donald Trump’s border policies, such as “Remain in Mexico,” and the termination of Title 42, exacerbated the crisis.
Despite the House’s impeachment vote, optimism among agents is tempered by the realization that little may change. A Texan-based agent expressed skepticism, stating, “Realistically speaking, nothing will happen.”
Meanwhile, Senate Republicans advocate for a trial, urging Schumer to act. However, there are concerns that Schumer may opt to shelve the impeachment effort, a move unprecedented in the Senate’s history of handling impeachments.
Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) criticized Schumer’s reluctance, highlighting the gravity of the situation. “In over 200 years of our nation’s history, the Senate has never once tabled articles of impeachment. That has never happened,” Cruz remarked.
For many Border Patrol agents, the impeachment effort symbolizes a desperate attempt to address the chaos at the border. However, doubts linger about its efficacy. “It won’t change a thing,” remarked one agent, underscoring the pervasive disillusionment within the agency.
