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Alejandro Mayorkas, President Biden’s pick to lead the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), was one step closer to taking the position on Tuesday after the Senate Homeland Security Committee advanced his nomination.
Mayorkas’ nomination was approved 7-4, with Democrats and GOP Sens. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, and Rob Portman, R-Ohio, voting to advance the nomination. It will now advance to the Senate floor, when he is likely to be confirmed.
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Mayorkas, a former head of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and deputy Homeland Security secretary, would be the first immigrant to run the department if confirmed.
He would enter into a department facing both the aftermath of the Jan. 6 riots in Washington D.C. as well as implementing a new wave of immigration policy measures from President Biden, who has promised to undo much of President Donald Trump’s legacy in that area.
Biden has implemented a 100-day moratorium on deportations, ended the Trump-era travel bans and stopped construction of a border wall. He has also proposed an immigration bill that would grant legal status and a pathway to citizenship for millions of illegal immigrants.
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The committee held a confirmation hearing for Mayorkas last week, but quick passage was delayed by Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., who cited Biden’s immigration plan as a reason for imposing the hurdle.
Homeland Security Secretary nominee Alejandro Mayorkas testifies during his confirmation hearing in the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2021, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (Bill Clark/Pool via AP)
“On Day 1 of his administration, President-elect Biden has said he plans to unveil an amnesty plan for 11 million immigrants in this nation illegally,” the populist senator said in a statement. “This comes at a time when millions of American citizens remain out of work and a new migrant caravan has been attempting to reach the United States. Mr. Mayorkas has not adequately explained how he will enforce federal law and secure the southern border given President-elect Biden’s promise to roll back major enforcement and security measures.”
On Tuesday, other Republicans issued other objections to Mayorkas, which Chairman Ron Johnson, R-Wis., referenced something Republicans had raised concerns about during the committee hearing — a 2015 inspector general report that found Mayorkas intervened to help foreign investors in the EB-5 visa program who were connected to top Democrats.
In one case, Mayorkas “pressured staff” to expedite the review of a Las Vegas hotel and casino investment at the request of then-Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, according to the inspector general report from 2015.
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Johnson said the report was “far from pretty.”
“He violated his own guidelines when he provided preferential intervention for these politically connected individuals for EB-5 visas,” he said
“This simply can’t be ignored,” he said later.
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Democrats pushed back, with Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del., saying Mayorkas represented “the best of America.”
“He’s a man of integrity, man of principle, with an incomparable work ethic. He may be the most qualified nominee we’ve ever been asked to consider to lead this department,” he said.
Fox News’ Evie Fordham contributed to this report.
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