US border security and immigration chief survives impeachment vote

The House Republicans have failed to remove Alejandro Mayorkas from office by a razor-thin margin

The US House of Representatives has voted against impeaching Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas on Tuesday. The Republicans have accused Mayorkas of failing to deal with the influx of migrants illegally crossing the border with Mexico.

The motion to bring impeachment charges was defeated in a 214-216 vote.

Four Republicans joined the Democrats in refusing to back the ouster. According to the Hill, the Republicans had expected that two of their colleagues would vote ‘no’, however, two more House GOP lawmakers – Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin and Blake Moore of Utah – voted against the motion as well. Moore switched his vote to ‘no’ second before the vote closed, the Hill reported. 

Another Republican – House Majority Leader Steve Scalise – was away for a medical treatment and missed the vote. 

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