Video shows Sen. John Kennedy telling Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas, “You will be impeached.”
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Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., stands with a group of GOP lawmakers who are calling for the impeachment of Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas, Dec. 13, 2022. (AP)
Video doesn’t show senator telling Mayorkas he would be impeached
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An 11-minute Facebook video shows Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas answering questions from senators during a 2021 hearing about the Biden administration’s border policy. Impeachment was not mentioned in the exchange.
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Apart from this claim, Congressional GOP leaders have intensified calls to impeach the secretary.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has been threatened with impeachment before by congressional Republicans. But a video circulating on Facebook does not show one of those instances, as it claims to do.
A Dec. 10 Facebook video says it shows Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., "exposing" the truth about immigration under Mayorkas. The video’s caption reads, "‘YOU WILL BE IMPEACHED’ Mayorkas PANICS as Kenendy EXPOSES ‘true number’ at border.’"
This was flagged as part of Facebook’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Facebook.)
Despite the caption, the video does not show Kennedy telling Mayorkas he would be impeached.
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The footage shows Mayorkas being questioned at a Nov. 16, 2021, Senate Judiciary Committee hearing. Kennedy presses Mayorkas on border policies, and claims that Homeland Security let into the country thousands of migrants who had criminal records. The video also shows Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., defending the Biden administration and asking questions about the administration’s policies.
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During his questioning, Kennedy neither mentioned impeachment nor threatened Mayorkas with it. A transcript from Kennedy’s office about the questioning also does not include the word impeachment.
Outside of this hearing, Republicans have called for Mayorkas’ impeachment. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, joined Sen. Lindsay Graham, R-S.C., in sending a letter in October to the secretary, saying he has failed "to faithfully enforce this nation’s immigration laws" and that it could be grounds for impeachment. This week, one GOP faction held a press conference asking for an impeachment investigation.
But this video does not show anyone calling for Mayorkas’ impeachment. We rate this claim False.
Our Sources
The Texas Tribune, Ted Cruz warns DHS secretary he could be impeached over rise in migrant crossings, Oct. 6, 2022
Yahoo, GOP's McCarthy threatens to impeach Mayorkas over border, Nov. 22, 2022
Facebook video, Dec. 9, 2022
UPI, DHS Secretary Mayorkas grilled on 'broken' immigration system, Nov. 16, 2021
John Kennedy, U.S. Senator for Louisiana, Kennedy to Mayorkas: Is White House incompetent, or do they believe in open borders?, Nov. 16, 2021
Sen. Ted Cruz and Sen. Lindsay Graham’s Letter to Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, Oct. 5, 2022
CNN, Impeachment effort will only complicate the immigration puzzle, Dec. 13, 2022
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Video doesn’t show senator telling Mayorkas he would be impeached
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