International
Political showdown: Republicans seek to impeach mayorkas over migration crisis
epublicans took a step further on Wednesday to initiate impeachment proceedings against the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas, whom they consider responsible for an “intentional” migration crisis at the Mexico-U.S. border, a hot topic in an election year.
For almost a year, a House committee, where conservatives have a narrow majority, conducted an investigation, claiming to have enough evidence to subject him to impeachment.
Republican Congressman Mark Green labeled Mayorkas as the “architect of devastation” due to intercepting over 8 million migrants illegally crossing U.S. borders since he took office in 2021, including more than 6.7 million at the shared border with Mexico.
“The Secretary has abused his authority and jeopardized Americans,” asserted Green, also complaining about the “astronomical” costs of what he deems an intentional crisis.
- “A Circus” –
Democrats defend themselves. The more extreme Republicans “have created this impeachment circus, in part to try to distract from their own failures,” said Congressman Bennie Thompson. It’s a “political maneuver” in an election year, he said.
Three attorneys general from Oklahoma, Montana, and Missouri acted as witnesses during the House homeland security committee session. All responded affirmatively when Green asked if they believed Mayorkas “has failed to enforce or has subverted laws passed by Congress.”
This was the first in a series of hearings on whether there are constitutional grounds for impeachment, but it’s highly unlikely to see the light of day.
A full House vote is needed first, likely to succeed and could happen by late January. However, it would then move to the Senate, where Democrats have the majority and would likely block it.
Nevertheless, Professor Emeritus at the University of Missouri School of Law, Frank Bowman, questioned the very foundation of impeachment because, according to the Constitution, it is not supposed to be a routine tool.
It is more of a last resort reserved “for grave and dangerous offenses,” for someone who “corrupts or subverts governmental processes or the constitutional order itself,” explained Professor Bowman during the session, suggesting it may not apply in this case.
- “Broken System” –
Democrats are adamant on this point. “You can’t impeach a cabinet secretary because you don’t like the president’s policies,” said Thompson, calling it a “farce,” “pure politics,” and “the height of hypocrisy.”
The Biden administration also reproaches Republicans for stalling their request for an additional $14 billion to fund border security. Republicans demand a tougher immigration policy as a condition for approving a Ukraine aid package, including funds for the border.
Facing criticism, Mayorkas acknowledges the high number of migrants as a “challenge” but insists it’s “not exclusive to the United States.” Regional challenges require regional solutions, he emphasized during a press conference in Texas.
“Some have accused the DHS (Department of Homeland Security) of not enforcing the laws of our country, this could not be further from the truth,” Mayorkas asserted. “We are doing everything possible within a broken system to encourage non-citizens to use legal pathways, to impose consequences on those who do not, and to reduce irregular migration.”
International
Trump floats Vance-Rubio potential Republican ticket for 2028 election
U.S. President Donald Trump suggested on Monday that Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubiocould potentially form a Republican presidential ticket for the 2028 elections.
Speaking during a dinner with law enforcement officials as part of National Police Week, Trump publicly praised both officials and said they could make “an ideal team” for the next presidential race.
“Who likes JD Vance? Who likes Marco Rubio?” Trump asked attendees before adding that the pair “sound like a good combination.”
The president highlighted his vice president’s performance in office, stating that their current partnership has been highly effective. “JD is perfect, that has been a perfect formula,” Trump told reporters later.
He further suggested that a Vance-Rubio pairing could represent a strong presidential and vice-presidential ticket, although he stopped short of offering any formal endorsement.
“I think it sounds like a presidential candidate and a vice-presidential candidate,” he said, while clarifying that his remarks should not be interpreted as an official backing of any future campaign.
So far, neither Vance nor Rubio has publicly confirmed any intention to run in the 2028 presidential election.
Rubio previously sought the Republican nomination in 2016 but withdrew after losing the primary race to Trump. Later, in a December 2025 interview with Vanity Fair, he said he would be among the first to support Vance if he decided to run for the White House.
Vance, meanwhile, has recently dismissed speculation of any political rivalry with Rubio amid growing discussion about potential future GOP leadership.
International
Russia Accuses Ukraine of Violating Victory Day Truce
Russia accused Ukraine on Saturday of violating a Victory Day truce that was reportedly agreed with mediation from the United States, claiming that Ukrainian forces carried out attacks on Russian territory as well as on the annexed Crimean peninsula.
Despite the declared ceasefire, the Russian Ministry of Defense said in a statement that Ukrainian forces attacked Russian military positions using attack drones and artillery.
According to the ministry, Ukrainian forces made twelve attempts to advance toward Russian-held positions across several sectors of the front line.
It also alleged that Ukrainian strikes targeted civilian infrastructure in Crimea, several border regions, the Caucasus, and other areas including Moscow and Perm in the Ural region.
The Defense Ministry estimated around 8,900 violations of the ceasefire in total, including more than 7,000 drone attacks and over 1,000 strikes involving tanks, artillery, multiple rocket launch systems, and mortars since the truce came into effect at midnight.
Russia said its forces responded “symmetrically” to what it described as violations by Ukrainian troops.
Earlier, the Kremlin denied claims that Ukraine attempted to sabotage a military parade in Red Square marking the 81st anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.
“No attempts were made. Everything went well,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told local media.
International
Trump Says U.S.-Iran Talks Progressing, Signals Possible Deal on Strait of Hormuz
U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday that Washington is holding “very good” talks with Iran and stated that there is a strong possibility of reaching an agreement to end the conflict and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
“We’ve had very good conversations over the last 44 hours, and it’s very possible that we’ll reach an agreement,” Trump said during an event held in the Oval Office at the White House.
The president’s remarks came just hours after he announced a temporary suspension of the military operation aimed at escorting vessels stranded in the Persian Gulf due to Iran’s blockade of the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
Trump explained that the pause in operations is intended to facilitate diplomatic negotiations between both sides and prevent further military escalation in the region.
“We’re in good shape, and right now things are going well. Now we have to achieve what we need to achieve. If we don’t, we’ll have to go much further,” the Republican president warned.
In a post published on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump reiterated that if Iran accepts Washington’s proposed conditions, military operations and the naval blockade affecting the Islamic republic would come to an end.
However, he also issued a new warning to the Iranian government, stating that the United States would respond with attacks “of greater intensity” if Tehran rejects the agreement promoted by the White House.
Panama confirms drug contamination of El Salvador coffee shipment occurred on its territory
Trump floats Vance-Rubio potential Republican ticket for 2028 election
Russia Accuses Ukraine of Violating Victory Day Truce
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