Blinken, Mayorkas Should Secure US Border or Face Congressional Investigation: GOP Lawmaker

Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas have been warned that they will face congressional probes if they can’t secure the southern border and reduce the flow of illegal migrants from Venezuela.

Rep. Yvette Herrell (R-N.M.) issued the warning on Sept. 27, in a Twitter post revealing her recent letter to the two Biden administration officials, saying how Venezuelan migrants have been flooding U.S. border towns and cities, particularly El Paso, Texas.

“If they won’t even try to secure our country & end human trafficking, they can explain themselves to Congressional investigations soon,” Herrell wrote.

While Herrell did not elaborate on the possible investigations, House Republicans have said that they will launch multiple investigations over the Biden administration’s policy failures, including border control, if they retain a majority in the chamber in November.

Some Republicans have said they would use their majority to impeach Mayorkas over the border crisis, including Rep. Clay Higgins (R-La.), who could become the top Republican on the House Homeland Security Committee after November. Also making the impeachment call is Irene Armendariz-Jackson, who is the GOP candidate for Texas’s 16th Congressional District, which includes most of El Paso.

Rep. Yvette Herrell (R-N.M.) speaks to a press conference during a congressional border delegation visit to El Paso, Texas on March 15, 2021. (Justin Hamel/AFP via Getty Images) El Paso 

According to data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, there were nearly 204,000 migrant encounters at the U.S.–Mexico border in August. Among those, 25,349 were from Venezuela, a significant jump from 17,652 encountered in July, and drastically higher than the 6,304 encountered in August last year.

Many of these Venezuelan migrants have chosen to travel to El Paso, according to Herrell’s letter, which was obtained by Fox News.

“El Paso has now become ground