Tuesday’s re-run was just as close, but the return of Republican House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, who had been receiving cancer treatment, swung the chamber the other way in a 214-213 vote.
“Next to a declaration of war, impeachment is arguably the most serious authority given to the House and we have treated this matter accordingly,” said House Speaker Mike Johnson.
China hits out at US ‘harassment’ of Chinese students at American border
China hits out at US ‘harassment’ of Chinese students at American border
“Since this secretary refuses to do the job that the Senate confirmed him to do, the House must act.”
But Biden immediately rebuked Republicans for what he termed a “blatant act of unconstitutional partisanship that has targeted an honourable public servant in order to play petty political games”.
“We will continue pursuing real solutions to the challenges Americans face, and House Republicans have to decide whether to join us to solve the problem or keep playing politics with the border,” he added.
The outcome was unprecedented as the House has only ever impeached one other cabinet official – Secretary of War William Belknap in 1876 – and that was over serious allegations of corruption rather than a straightforward policy disagreement.
Seen as the political equivalent of an indictment, the rebuke is largely symbolic, however, as Mayorkas is certain to be acquitted at his trial in the Democratic-led Senate.
The vote came amid a showdown between the House and the Senate over curbing a surge in illegal immigration, which hit a record 10,000 apprehensions a day at the US-Mexico border in December.
House Republicans have been accused of acting in bad faith in the impeachment, especially after coming out against a bipartisan deal hammered out in the upper chamber that would have imposed the toughest asylum and border policies in decades.
“House Republicans will be remembered by history for trampling on the Constitution for political gain rather than working to solve the serious challenges at our border,” said Mia Ehrenberg, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Impeachment is meant to be a sanction for treason, bribery and other “high crimes and misdemeanours,” according to the constitution.
Biden to build more Mexico wall, says hands were tied
Biden to build more Mexico wall, says hands were tied
Ken Buck, one of three Republicans who voted no in last week’s vote, called the move against Mayorkas a “stunt” while fellow rebel Mike Gallagher said it would “pry open the Pandora’s box of perpetual impeachment”.
Twenty-five legal experts called the push “utterly unjustified” in an open letter and were echoed by constitutional scholars who have spoken in Congress against Donald Trump’s impeachments, including Jonathan Turley and Alan Dershowitz.
House Democrats voted in unison against the impeachment, which was also vehemently opposed by the White House.
Ehrenberg at the DHS accused Republicans of having “falsely smeared a dedicated public servant” without a “shred of evidence”.
The Senate is now compelled to at least open a trial, although it could vote to dismiss the articles, dissolve the trial or refer the articles to a committee.