Mayorkas Faces Backlash Over Deportation Policies in First Hearing Since Impeachment
-
Impeached Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas faced fury from House lawmakers in his first public meeting since impeachment over failing to deport over 1 million illegal immigrants.
-
Republicans slammed Mayorkas over DHS budget requests not asking for enough resources to remove immigrants with deportation orders.
-
Mayorkas claimed DHS has "removed or returned" over 630,000 people in the past 11 months, but lawmakers accused him of conflating border removals with interior deportations.
-
Lawmakers criticized Mayorkas for not fulfilling his vow to deport illegal immigrants if judges rule they don't qualify for asylum.
-
Mayorkas said existing laws restrict the ability to swiftly deport immigrants not already detained, arguing that bipartisan legislation that failed would have expanded deportation powers.