Tennessee U.S. Representative and chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee Mark Green (R-TN-07) joined Thursday’s edition of The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy to discuss his efforts in the impeachment process of Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.
Green, who led his Republican colleagues in voting to advance two articles of impeachment against Mayorkas out of committee on Wednesday, told Leahy that Mayorkas not only refused to enforce the law himself, but directed his staff to do the same.
“I mean, he actually sent a memorandum to his border protection staff to actually violate the law. So he basically sent a letter to his staff establishing the new policy for the department and the interesting thing is it was about detaining criminal aliens,” Green explained. “And now, we’re talking felony conviction, criminal aliens, drug traffickers, you know, human traffickers, murderers, any felony conviction. He basically said that is not a reason to detain. And that is a crime. That’s criminal because the Congress…actually lists the crimes and it says, “if this person is encountered they shall be detained” and of course, he’s released them into the country.”
“So not only is he lawless; he’s directed his people to be lawless. He’s lied to Congress and he has to go,” Green said.
Green went on to address Mayorkas’ refusal on four different occasions to appear and testify in front of the House Homeland Security Committee, calling his actions “a total disregard for a co-equal branch of government.”
“His lawlessness, the ability to basically say, ‘I’m not going to follow the laws of Congress.’”
Green continued, “My constitution says that Congress writes laws, the executive branch executes those laws…You’re supposed to follow the laws of the land and execute the laws as written by Congress. The basics of the Constitution,” Green said. “the Secretary doesn’t get to pick and choose the laws, and so he’s got to go.”
Pivoting to the upcoming impeachment vote on the House floor, Green said he is “working very hard” to secure enough votes to impeach Mayorkas.
Green noted that two House Republicans in particular, Tom McClintock (R-CA-05) and Ken Buck (R-CO-04), will not vote to impeach Mayorkas.
“We’ve got two Republicans, McClintock and Buck, who just – they are resolute. They won’t move. I’ve had multiple conversations with them. So there will be two no votes,” Green said.
Green added that he will “be on the phone all weekend” speaking with different members with the intent of securing enough votes to impeach the secretary.
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
Photo “Mark Green” by Congressman Mark Green.
