Over 50 House Republicans Question DHS Secretary Mayorkas’ ‘Suitability For Office’ Over Border Crisis

On Monday, a group of more than 50 House Republicans sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas warning that the worsening border crisis has raised “grave questions” about his “suitability for office.”

The group was led by Border Security Caucus co-chair Rep. Brian Babin (R-TX) and Republican Study Committee Chair Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN).

“We write to address your actions to dismantle the security of our nation’s security border and disregard for the enforcement of U.S. immigration laws,” the letter stated. “Your actions have willingly endangered American citizens, undermined the rule of law and our nation’s sovereignty. Your failure to secure the border and enforce the laws passed by Congress raise grave questions about your suitability for office.”

The letter noted the Biden administration’s announcement that it would be ending Title 42, a Trump-era border security policy, in May. The end of the policy is expected to further worsen the border crisis, resulting in as many as 18,000 migrants crossing the southern border illegally each day, according to a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) document obtained by ABC News.

The letter specifically called on Mayorkas to “immediately take all legal and necessary actions at your disposal – of which there are many – to secure the southern border, rectify the dangerous policies this administration has put in motion over the past year, and bring your agency into compliance with the laws passed by the United States Congress.”

The letter comes shortly after border officials announced that over 221,000 migrants had been encountered at the southern border in March, the highest number since President Biden took office.

“Customs and Border Protection said in a court filing Friday that 221,303 migrants were encountered at the southern border in March. That’s approximately 28% higher than March 2021 when 173,277 migrants were encountered. In March 2020, just 34,460 migrants were encountered at the border,” Fox News reported.

“The number is bigger than last year’s high of 213,953 in July and is the third time under Biden that there have been more than 200,000 migrants at the border — which only occurred in two months at the height of the 2021 surge,” the outlet continued.