of impeaching a Cabinet secretary for# the first time Tonight, Republicans on the Homeland# Security Committee are moving to advance## articles of impeachment against# DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

Lisa Desjardins was in the hearing# room and joins us now with more.

So, Lisa, House Republicans# have signaled that this was## coming.

What are their specific# charges against the LISA DESJARDINS: Let's look at the articles of# impeachment now that we have The first one is willful and systemic refusal# to comply with the law.

That basi the secretary of allowing in hundreds of# thousands of migrants, not detaining them,## then, secondly, a breach of public trust.

Now,# part of that is the idea from Republicans.

They## say that Mayorkas lied to them when he said# that the border is under operational control.

Now, Republicans did produce five reports# in this, but there really have only been a## couple of hearings.

Still, Chairman of the# Committee Mark Green says this RE P. MARK GREEN (R-TN): We cannot allow# this border crisis to continue.

We cannot## allow fentanyl to flood across our border# or crimina we cannot allow a Cabinet secretary# with no regard for the separation of## powers with the rule of law to remain in# office.

That is why today we present th committee with the articles of impeachment# against Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

LISA DESJARDINS: But Mayorkas, Democrats, and,# frankly, some Republicans also say that this## is political and unprecedented, impeaching# a Cabinet secretary for what they say is# really a policy difference.

Mayorkas sent this# letter in the early hours this morning where he## wrote to the committee that: "The problems# with our immigration system are not new."

He said: "We need a legislative solution# that only Congress can provide.

You have## claimed that we have failed to enforce# immigration laws, and that is false."

Among other things, Mayorkas says he# needs resources.

He needs the ability,## more detention capacity, among other# things.

The question here, Geoff,## is not really how do you fix the problem at the# border.

It's, who do you blame?

is not going to change things at the border, but# the blame and what the message is, is at stake.

GEOFF BENNETT: So they're accusing# him of refusing to uphold the law and## breaching the public's trust.

On what# grounds?

Pro LISA DESJARDINS: Right.

Republicans accusing the secretary of perjury# before Congress.

sound bites that's at the center of that.# This is an exchange that happened in 2022.

REP. CHIP ROY (R-TX): Do we have# operational control, yes or no?

ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS, U.S. Secretary# of Homeland Security: AL EJANDRO MAYORKAS: Yes, we do.

And,# (CROSSTALK) control means the prevention of all unlawful# entries into the United States, by terrorists, other unlawful aliens, instruments# of terrorism, narcotics and other contra Do you stand behind your testimony that we have# operational control, in light of this definition?

ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS: I do.

security would have said the same thing in 2020.

LISA DESJARDINS: That is a definition from# a 2006 law.

But, as the it says that no one could cross the border.# And what Mayorkas and the Biden White House## have said is no one has ever met that# standard in United States' history.

They instead are saying that there is a different# issue here, being Donald Trump.

We know and I## know from my reporting and political sources# and some in the Trump universe say, yes, he## does want to campaign on the border.

He does not# necessarily want a deal or a solu So, when you hear from Democrats today,## as we heard from Democratic# RE P. PETE AGUILAR (D-CA): This was never# about securing the border.

This was never## about migrants.

This was never about# protecting our country.

Just like baseless impeachments and everything else the# MAGA Republicans have pretended to care about,## it has always been about helping# Donald Trump become president again.

LISA DESJARDINS: Republicans reject# that, of course.

They say there is a## real issue at the border.

They really# But at the same time as they're# impeaching this secretary,## that same secretary is trying to# negotiate with other Republicans fo a potential border deal on the Senate# side.

So you can't miss the iron GEOFF BENNETT: And, Lisa, what# do we know about the level of## illegal immigration under Secretary LISA DESJARDINS: This is important, and# it was hard to but let me present from# Mayorkas' side where we are.

There has been such a massive surge in# numbers at the bor during the Trump presidency; 1.1 million# encounters that year is what DHS reported.## Let's look at last year, last fiscal# year, 3.2 million.

So Mayorkas is saying,## we have had a tripling of the amount# of people we're seeing at the border.

But they say the apprehension rate in both# times has been 78 percent.

So they'r we're catching up with the past, despite these# record numbers.

Republicans on their side said,## though, you're not detaining as many, that# catch-and-release is leaving more migrants,## because there is a bigger# surge, into this country.

And then you look at detention numbers.

I looked# in ICE detention.

2019, January of 2019, it was# 46,500, so a higher number.

The sides debate why## that is.

DHS says COVID is a factor, that some# places still have not reopened detention beds.

So there's a lot to unpack here, but# the numbers at the border are really the## issue.

And Republicans are blaming Mayorkas and# Biden policy and they're impeaching him for it.

GEOFF BENNETT: Lisa Desjardins, thanks,# as always, for that great reporting.

LISA DESJARDINS: You're welcome.