In a recent development, the House of Representatives on Monday blocked a resolution to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. Instead, the lawmakers voted in favor of referring the matter to a committee, as put forth by GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia.

The impeachment measure introduced by Greene accused Mayorkas of engaging in conduct that is incompatible with the laws of the United States. The resolution was scheduled for a vote on a motion to table, but Democrats brought a motion to refer it to the Homeland Security Committee. This strategic move aimed to garner the support of moderate Republicans.

Ultimately, the House voted 209-201 in favor of sending the resolution to the committee, with eight Republicans joining all Democrats in support.

Mayorkas has been under scrutiny since the GOP gained control of the House in November 2022. The move to impeach the Homeland Security Secretary gained momentum after a tragic incident on a Texas highway, where eight people died in a collision involving a vehicle driven by a suspected human smuggler.

The resolution alleges that Mayorkas violated his constitutional duty by allowing what is referred to as an "invasion" of undocumented immigrants across the border. However, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security defended Mayorkas, stating that he has been diligently working to keep Americans safe and accused Republicans of baseless attacks.

Even if the House's effort to impeach Mayorkas is successful, the outcome in the Senate, which is controlled by Democrats, may likely result in acquittal. The only previous impeachment of a Cabinet member occurred in 1876 with Secretary of War William Belknap, who was also acquitted by the Senate.

Numerous Republican lawmakers have criticized Mayorkas for the current situation at the southern border, calling for a change in leadership within the Department of Homeland Security. House Speaker Mike Johnson has previously expressed his belief that Mayorkas has committed "impeachable offenses" but acknowledged the limitations of time and resources for pursuing impeachment.

This impeachment process against Mayorkas is taking place amid the approaching deadline of November 17 to fund federal agencies and avoid a government shutdown. House Speaker Johnson introduced a stopgap measure that would fund a group of agencies until January 19 and another group until February 2 at current levels, but it does not include President Biden's requested assistance for Ukraine and Israel.

As the situation develops, it remains to be seen how the committee will handle the impeachment resolution against Secretary Mayorkas and whether any significant changes will occur within the Department of Homeland Security.