Peoria Standard

Washington, D.C. - Congressman Darin LaHood (IL-16) has voted to impeach Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for his alleged refusal to enforce federal immigration laws and breach of the public trust.

LaHood, a former federal prosecutor, expressed his concerns regarding Secretary Mayorkas' failure to address the security and humanitarian crisis at the southern border. In a statement, LaHood said, "Since taking office, Secretary Mayorkas has failed to enforce the law or take any substantive steps to stop the security and humanitarian crisis at the southern border."

LaHood further criticized Mayorkas for the alarming number of illegal crossings and "gotaways" that have occurred under his watch. He stated, "Under Secretary Mayorkas' watch, we've had over 8 million illegal crossings, 1.7 million known 'gotaways,' and dozens of individuals whose names appear on the terrorist watchlist come through our open border."

The congressman also highlighted the impact of Mayorkas' alleged failure to enforce immigration laws on states with sanctuary city policies. LaHood claimed that fentanyl abuse has spiked in blue states like Illinois and that community resources have been exhausted due to Mayorkas' inaction.

While acknowledging the desire of many families to seek a better life in the United States, LaHood emphasized the importance of enforcing the rule of law and protecting national security. He accused Mayorkas of systematically refusing to comply with federal immigration laws and breaching the public's trust, leading to his decision to vote for impeachment.

The impeachment vote against Secretary Mayorkas marks a significant development in the ongoing debate over immigration policies and the responsibilities of officials within the Department of Homeland Security. It remains to be seen how this vote will impact the future of immigration enforcement in the United States.