Speaker Mike Johnson informed Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer that the House will send the impeachment articles against Department of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas to the Senate on April 10, according to a letter obtained by sources, marking the next step in the impeachment trial process.
Schumer's office responded, stating that senators will be sworn in as jurors on April 11.
The House impeached Mayorkas on February 13 by a narrow margin, making him the first Cabinet secretary to be impeached in almost 150 years.
House Republicans impeached Mayorkas last month after a failed initial attempt, citing concerns over the Biden administration's handling of the southern border.
The Democratic-controlled Senate is not expected to convict Mayorkas, and there is a possibility that the impeachment could be swiftly dismissed.
In a letter, Johnson accused Mayorkas of high crimes and misdemeanors related to border management, a claim disputed by constitutional experts.
The impeachment articles were delayed until Congress addressed government funding for the fiscal year, with both chambers set to return in early April.
Johnson urged Schumer to expedite the Senate trial for Mayorkas, emphasizing the constitutional obligation to proceed.
The impeachment process against Mayorkas sets the stage for a partisan clash over border policies, a contentious issue leading up to the 2024 presidential election.
Republicans have faced challenges in pursuing impeachment efforts against President Biden due to a lack of votes and concrete evidence, with the Mayorkas impeachment unlikely to advance in the Senate.
House Oversight Chairman James Comer highlighted the Senate's probable dismissal of the Mayorkas impeachment articles, raising doubts about the feasibility of impeaching Biden.
Johnson, along with selected House Republicans, signed the letter calling for a Senate trial, with the impeachment managers including prominent members such as House Homeland Security Chair Mark Green and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene.
