House votes to stop paying Mayorkas through DHS funding
The House of Representatives made a significant move on Wednesday by voting to block Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas’ salary. This decision came as part of an amendment introduced by Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., for the House’s appropriations bill funding the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for the fiscal year 2025. The amendment aimed to prevent funds in the bill from being used to pay Mayorkas, and it passed with a vote of 193 to 173, with just one Republican voting against it.
Rep. Biggs stated, “Taxpayers should not be paying an unelected bureaucrat who was impeached by the House. That’s why I sponsored an amendment to this year’s Homeland Security Appropriations Act to prohibit funding to be used for the salary of DHS Secretary Mayorkas.”
Another amendment, proposed by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., to reduce Mayorkas’ salary to zero, failed to pass in a 208 to 200 vote, with one Republican voting present. Mayorkas has been a frequent target of criticism from House Republicans, who hold him responsible for the ongoing crisis at the southern border.
The Department of Homeland Security appropriations bill provides the department with approximately a $3 billion increase from the previous fiscal year. It also includes $600 million allocated for completing former President Trump’s border wall, along with provisions to prevent funding from being used for abortion care and transgender health care for noncitizens detained in ICE custody.
Several other amendments have been approved, including one by Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, which prohibits the use of funds to implement policies that would keep asylum seekers in Texas while their claims are processed. Another measure led by Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., that passed, blocks DHS from enforcing COVID-19 mask policies.
Despite these developments, the appropriations bill itself is expected to undergo a final vote on Friday, but it is unlikely to be considered by the Democrat-led Senate. Furthermore, the White House has already threatened to veto the measure if it reaches President Biden’s desk.
The decision to block Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas’ salary marks a significant moment in the ongoing debate surrounding immigration policies and border security. Stay tuned for further updates on this evolving story.
