WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Republican-led House of Representatives narrowly failed to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas over the migrant crisis at the US-Mexico border. The close vote of 216-214 saw four Republicans break ranks to join all Democrats in the chamber to vote against the measure.

The surge in illegal immigration at the US frontier has become a significant political issue in the 2024 election, with opponents of US President Joe Biden placing blame on Mayorkas. Border security has become a contentious issue, with both parties deeply divided on how to address the ongoing crisis.

Three Republican defectors – Ken Buck of Colorado, Tom McClintock of California, and Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin – voted against the impeachment, while a fourth, Blake Moore of Utah, switched his vote from yes to no as a procedural maneuver to ensure the resolution could be brought up again by Republicans at a later time.

The impeachment proceedings were initiated by Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican, who expressed her intention to try again after the failed vote. Speaking after the vote, she stated, “My colleagues who voted no, I think they’ll be hearing from their constituents.”

While the House failed to pass the vote, Mayorkas was unlikely to have been found guilty by the Democratic-controlled Senate. House Speaker Mike Johnson noted that Republicans are confident they will have the votes for passage in the next round, emphasizing the razor-thin margin and the importance of every vote.

Impeachment, a process set out in the US Constitution, requires a simple majority in the House and a two-thirds majority in the Senate to succeed. The last cabinet secretary to be impeached was Secretary of War William Belknap in 1876, though he resigned shortly before the vote.

The ongoing immigration crisis and the handling of immigration policies by the Biden administration have further fueled the political divide. House Republicans held hearings and charged Mr. Mayorkas with failing to enforce immigration policies and lying to lawmakers about the security of the southern border.

The failed vote comes as a January poll conducted by CBS – the BBC’s US partner – suggests that 63% of Americans want “tougher” border policies. With over 6.3 million migrants known to have entered the US illegally since Mr. Biden took office in 2021, the issue of immigration continues to be a pressing concern for lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.

This week, a bipartisan group of US senators announced a bill that would step up border enforcement efforts as well as provide additional aid for Ukraine and Israel. However, House Republicans have rejected the bill outright, reflecting the ongoing political gridlock over immigration and border security policies.