Immigration

Mayorkas: Domestic violent extremism is our greatest threat

Published

2 years ago

March 17, 2021

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said Wednesday during a House Homeland Security hearing that domestic extremism is the most threatening to national security.

“Right now, at this point in time, domestic violence extremism, the lone wolf, the loose affiliation of individuals following ideologies of hate, other ideologies of extremism, that are willing able to take those ideologies, execute on them in unlawful, illegal, violent ways, is our greatest threat in homeland right now,” Mayorkas told the House panel.

Mayorkas also spoke via Zoom about the crisis at the U.S. southern border and the plan to crack down on illegal migrants.

Moreoever, he confirmed that Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials were executing a plan to address the crisis at the border.

“We have a short-term plan, a medium-term plan and a long-term plan and we’re executing on all fronts,” Mayorkas said. “To address the situation at the border that’s upon us right now takes time and we are working around the clock to do it. This is what we do and we will succeed. I believe in the men and women of the Department of Homeland Security and I believe in our commitments, our capabilities and we will get the challenged tackled.”

“But we will not waver in our commitment to succeed. That is our job. We will also not waver in our values and our principles as a nation. In the Department of Homeland Security, we can and we will tackle the many challenges we face while complying with our legal obligations and honoring our nation’s values and principles.”

“We are a nation of laws but we are also a nation of immigrants,” Mayorkas said.

The influx of unaccompanied minors at the border is of high concern to DHS officials. Mayorkas said that DHS officials are doing everything in their power to keep the young children safe and secure.

“I was on the border a few weeks ago and I saw the heroism, the true heroism of the men and women of the United States Border Patrol. I saw them undertake personal sacrifice to not only ensure that the border is secure but that the needs of the very young children are taken care of,” Mayorkas said.

In a statement Tuesday, Mayorkas said that the number of unaccompanied minors attempting to cross the U.S.-Mexico border is expected to reach its highest peak of the past two decades.

DHS officials expect the number of unaccompanied migrants children to continue increasing throughout the year and estimate that more than 117,000 will arrive to the U.S. this year, making it the largest number of migrant children to have arrived since President Obama was in office.

Watch the House Homeland Security Hearing here.

Follow Annaliese Levy on Twitter @AnnalieseLevy

Immigration

Congressman Biggs to Unveil Impeachment Articles Against DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas

Published

11 hours ago

January 31, 2023

Sara Carter Staff

On Wednesday afternoon, Congressman Andy Biggs (R-AZ) will unveil his 118th Congress impeachment articles against Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. Biggs, along with dozens of Republican congressional members, will hold a press conference at The House Triangle in the United States Capitol.

At least 15 members of Congress will provide remarks advocating for the impeachment of Secretary Mayorkas. Congressman Biggs was the first member of Congress to introduce articles of impeachment against Mayorkas, as early as August 2021.

The escalating border crisis during the Biden administration has led Biggs and other members to conclude Mayorkas’ “dereliction of duty in protecting our nation’s borders constituted high crimes and misdemeanors.”

In late December, The Washington Examiner reported on Biggs’ cited three examples of how he said Mayorkas broke the law.

“First, Secretary Mayorkas has failed to maintain operational control of the border as required under the law,” he said, quoting the Secure Fence Act of 2006’s definition of operational control as “the prevention of all unlawful entries into the United States, including entries by terrorists, other unlawful aliens, instruments of terrorism, narcotics, and other contraband.”

He added: “Second, he may have lied to Congress when he testified that he was maintaining operational control of the border.

The third illegal action, Biggs said, was how Mayorkas had not detained illegal immigrants and instead released more than 1 million people into the U.S.

“The law is clear illegal aliens shall be detained,” Biggs said.