In a bold move, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) has pushed for a vote on impeaching Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, reigniting the contentious debate over impeachment within the GOP. The privileged resolution, which requires swift action, accuses Mayorkas of "willful admittance of border crossers" and alleges his failure to protect the U.S. from an "invasion."

Greene's resolution also claims that Mayorkas violated the 2006 Secure Fence Act, which defines operational control as the absence of any individuals crossing the border illegally. However, Mayorkas has defended himself, stating that no administration has achieved operational control under the strict statutory definition. He argued that operational control requires maximizing resources to deliver the most effective results.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and congressional Democrats have criticized the effort, considering it an improper use of impeachment over policy differences. They maintain that Mayorkas has not committed the high crimes or misdemeanors required for impeachment under the constitution. DHS emphasized that Mayorkas has been diligently working to keep Americans safe while also advocating for necessary reforms to the broken immigration system.

Greene brought the impeachment measure to the floor as a privileged resolution, forcing leadership to take action on the matter within two legislative days. The House, which adjourned on Thursday, is set to reconvene on Monday evening. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) now faces the challenge of deciding whether to bring the legislation to the floor, motion to table it, or refer it to committee, with each option requiring a simple majority vote.

The GOP has long criticized Mayorkas for what they perceive as his failure to secure the border and alleged lying to Congress. Republican lawmakers have been divided on whether to pursue impeachment, with Mayorkas falling by the wayside as the House proceeds with an impeachment inquiry into President Biden.

Rep. Mark Green (R-Tenn.), Chair of the House Homeland Security Committee, has been overseeing an ongoing process to review Mayorkas's work and has accused him of "dereliction of duty." Green plans to hand off his findings to the House Judiciary Committee, which is responsible for impeachments.

Despite the passionate criticism of Mayorkas's job performance by Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), he has cautioned against rushing into impeachment without first making a solid case. Furthermore, he had previously warned against the very standard now being used by Greene, stating that "perfection shouldn't be the enemy of the good."

Greene's call for a vote on her resolution comes after she claimed that two of her constituents were tragically murdered by a human smuggler transporting illegal aliens. She expressed her frustration with Mayorkas's handling of border security and called for impeachment as the only solution to the severe national security crisis at the southern border.

It is worth mentioning that Greene's effort to expedite the impeachment resolution is not unprecedented. In June, Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) employed a similar procedural tactic to force a vote on her resolution to impeach President Biden over his immigration policies. The House ultimately decided to refer the legislation to the Judiciary and Homeland Security committees, avoiding direct involvement from lawmakers.

As the debate intensifies within the GOP, it remains to be seen how leadership will navigate the impeachment vote on Mayorkas and whether it will gain the necessary support to move forward.