Last Updated on November 23, 2022
At a recent House Homeland Security Committee hearing, US Rep. Clay Higgins (R-LA) had a tense exchange with DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas over border security. Higgans’ brazen line of questioning shook Mayorkas so much that he was left bewildered, mumbling something under his breath about serving nobility in a desperate attempt to save face from the smackdown.
Higgins, a former law enforcement officer, has been on Mayorkas’s case for poor performance on the US Border for a long time, first calling for the DHS secretary to resign or be impeached six months ago. This most recent battle between the two hinted at what the future holds for Mayorkas under new leadership in the US House.
Higgins’s rapid-fire question left Mayorkas looking haughty, arrogant and at a loss for words.
Higgins started out his line of questioning for Mayorkas by asking him if he has abused his power to suppress “exculpatory evidence and documents presented by border control agents,” who Higgans said had “come under public attack in condemnation’ by Mayorkas and the Biden administration.
Mayorkas answered, trying to deflect the question saying, “two points, Congressman. Number one in response to your second question. I don’t even know what you’re referring to and with this, with respect to your first…”
Higgins immediately interrupted, saying, “I’ll take that as at your answer on the record as saying, no, that you have not used your authority to suppress exculpatory evidence. If you’re an honorable man, then obviously, you should be able to say- no -to that. Because who would suppress exculpatory evidence? Is your answer.”
Mayorkas added,” I don’t even know what you’re referring to…”
Higgins jumped in and said, “you will.”
Then Higgens said, “have you used your authority to retaliate against ICE agents who served on special details during the Trump Administration or who were identified as Conservatives?”
Again, Higgens sounds confident that he knew something.
Mayorkas responded, “Congressman. I don’t even know what you’re referring to…”
Higgins jumped in saying, “you are before Congress. I’m going to take that as a no.”
Higgins quickly added another question for Mayorkas, “have you encouraged your chain of command to suppress basic law enforcement actions at the border, harass or victimize or intimidate law enforcement agents at the border using internal investigations and threats of disciplinary action or transfer in order to force those ages to comply with DHS policies- that actually injure the security of our homeland? Is that the culture you’ve created, Congressman?
Mayorkas answered,” I don’t even know what you’re referring to…”
Higgins jumped in, “you will” before posing his final question.
Mayorkas, seemingly rattled, responded by saying, “nobility throughout the Department of Homeland Security..”
Higgins then said, “Are you saying that you represent a nobility, Secretary Mayorkas?” Mayorkas answered, “that is what I am dedicated to…”
Higgens followed up to finish his question, “It’s been rumored, secretary that you’re going to resign prior to January 3rd. Is there any truth to those rumors?”
Mayorkas said, ” that is a false rumor.”
Higgins finished with Mayorkas, “all right, we look forward to seeing you in January.”
WATCH:
In 2015 when Mayorkas also served as Deputy Homeland Security Secretary under Barack Obama, he was accused of tainting the image and integrity of the immigration program he oversaw by fostering “an appearance of favoritism and special access” in how the agency treated projects that would bring visas and Green Cards to wealthy foreign investors according to an Inspector General’s report at the time.
And some people said then that Mayorkas was giving an open the door to terrorists and spies.
Is that the nobility Mayorkas is serving? Perhaps.
The 2015 DHS IG report specifically focused on allegations of special treatment afforded to a Las Vegas casino project championed by Sen. Harry Reid, then the Senate majority leader, and an electric car enterprise led by Terry McAuliffe, who is now Virginia governor, and involving Anthony Rodham, the brother of then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Is that the nobility that Mayorkas is serving? Perhaps.
is that the nobility that Mayorkas has been serving all along?
At the time the Office of Inspector General launched the probe, Mayorkas was head of a program known as EB-5, which offered a path to Green Cards to foreign investors willing to put $500,000 into a job-creating U.S. business – a program whose popularity exploded under his stewardship.
Now in 2022, the US Southern border is full of crime and chaos that is unprecedented. Higgens made it clear that if Mayorkas doesn’t retire, he is going to be on the hot seat and have a lot of explaining to do.
