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
U.S. Senate Rejects Budget, Bringing Government Closer to Shutdown Amid DHS Dispute
The U.S. Senate voted on Thursday against a budget proposal in a move aimed at pressuring changes at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), following the killing of two civilians during a deployment of immigration agents in Minneapolis.
All Senate Democrats and seven Republican lawmakers voted against the bill, which requires 60 votes to advance, pushing the country closer to a partial government shutdown that would cut funding for several agencies, including the Pentagon and the Department of Health.
The rejection came as Senate leaders and the White House continue negotiations on a separate funding package for DHS that would allow reforms to the agency. Proposed measures include banning Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from wearing face coverings and requiring them to use body-worn cameras during operations.
The vote took place just hours after President Donald Trump said he was “close” to reaching an agreement with Democrats and did not believe the federal government would face another shutdown, following last year’s record stoppage.
“I don’t think the Democrats want a shutdown either, so we’ll work in a bipartisan way to avoid it. Hopefully, there will be no government shutdown. We’re working on that right now,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting at the White House.
International
Trump Says Putin Agreed to One-Week Halt in Attacks on Ukraine Amid Extreme Cold
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he secured a commitment from Russian President Vladimir Putinto halt attacks against Ukraine for one week, citing extreme weather conditions affecting the region.
“Because of the extreme cold (…) I personally asked Putin not to attack Kyiv or other cities and towns for a week. And he agreed. He was very pleasant,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting broadcast by the White House.
Trump acknowledged that several advisers had questioned the decision to make the call.
“A lot of people told me not to waste the call because they wouldn’t agree. And he accepted. And we’re very happy they did, because they don’t need missiles hitting their towns and cities,” the president said.
According to Trump, Ukrainian authorities reacted with surprise to the announcement but welcomed the possibility of a temporary ceasefire.
“It’s extraordinarily cold, record cold (…) They say they’ve never experienced cold like this,” he added.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later commented on the announcement, expressing hope that the agreement would be honored.
International
Storm Kristin Kills Five in Portugal, Leaves Nearly 500,000 Without Power
Storm Kristin, which battered Portugal with heavy rain and strong winds early Wednesday, has left at least five people dead, while nearly half a million residents remained without electricity as of Thursday, according to updated figures from authorities.
The revised death toll was confirmed to AFP by a spokesperson for the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANPEC). On Wednesday, the agency had reported four fatalities.
Meanwhile, E-Redes, the country’s electricity distribution network operator, said that around 450,000 customers were still without power, particularly in central Portugal.
Emergency services responded to approximately 1,500 incidents between midnight and 8:00 a.m. local time on Wednesday, as the storm caused widespread disruptions.
The Portuguese government described Kristin as an “extreme weather event” that inflicted significant damage across several regions of the country. At the height of the storm, as many as 850,000 households and institutions lost electricity during the early hours of Wednesday.
Several municipalities ordered the closure of schools, many of which remained shut on Thursday due to ongoing adverse conditions.
Ricardo Costa, regional deputy commander of the Leiria Fire Brigade, said residents continue to seek assistance as rainfall persists.
“Even though the rain is not extremely intense, it is causing extensive damage to homes,” he noted.
In Figueira da Foz, a coastal city in central Portugal, strong winds toppled a giant Ferris wheel, underscoring the severity of the storm.
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