In a bold legislative move, the U.S. House has blocked the salary of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas as part of its DHS appropriations bill for fiscal year 2025 according to Fox News.
The latest measure to block funding for Secretary Mayorkas' salary was introduced on Wednesday during deliberations over the Department of Homeland Security's funding. Proposed by Representative Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., this amendment signals a severe escalation in the ongoing conflict between House Republicans and the current DHS leadership.
Secretary Mayorkas has been a controversial figure in Washington, especially among House Republicans, primarily due to his handling of immigration policies and the management of the southern U.S. border.
This contention reached a historic peak in February when Mayorkas was impeached by the House, marking him the first Cabinet secretary to face such an action since the late 1800s.
Rep. Biggs, expressing his discontent, justified his amendment by stating on the social platform X, "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."
The amendment to obstruct funding for Mayorkas' salary successfully passed with a majority, registering a vote of 193 to 173, despite one Republican dissenting.
Additionally, an even more stringent amendment proposed by Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., attempted to reduce Mayorkas' salary to zero.
This proposal, however, narrowly failed to pass, garnering 208 votes against it and 200 in favor, with one Republican abstaining by voting present.
The DHS appropriations bill itself reflects broader political clash points, carrying about a $3 billion increase from the previous fiscal year's budget. Noteworthy provisions of the bill include a substantial $600 million allocation for completing construction on Trump's border wall. Furthermore, the bill explicitly blocks funding for both abortion care and transgender healthcare for detainees under ICE custody.
Several amendments with significant implications were also ratified. These include restrictions on funds designated for implementing policy regarding asylum seekers in Texas and prohibitions on enforcing COVID-19 mask mandates by DHS.
Despite these bold moves by the House, the prospects of the appropriations bill becoming law remain slim.
The Democrat-controlled Senate has shown little support for the bill in its current form.
The White House has signaled a strong response, indicating that President Biden would veto the bill should it successfully pass through Congress.
This presidential veto would represent a definitive executive check on legislative efforts perceived as undermining the administration's policy objectives, particularly regarding immigration and homeland security.
As the DHS appropriations bill awaits its final vote in the House scheduled for Friday, the political landscape remains fraught with tension.
Observers note that even if the bill passes the House, its future in the Senate remains uncertain, and the President's veto promise looms large.
In conclusion, the decision by the House to block Secretary Mayorkanalysis's salary underlines deeper partisan divisions on national security and immigration policies.
The amendments associated with the DHS funding bill signify a strategic endeavor by House Republicans to reshape U.S. policy on these critical issues. From attempts to revive aspects of Trump's border policies to debates over healthcare provisions for detainees, this legislative package reflects an ongoing tug-of-war over the direction of national priorities and the use of federal resources.