On Wednesday, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas appeared before a House Appropriations Committee hearing on budgeting for the department for fiscal year 2025. But it wasn't a dollars and cents question that Mayorkas did an impressive job of dodging. it was a question of just how many illegal immigrants have been released into the United States with really no clue as to who they are. The number that Mayorkas allegedly quoted Border Patrol agents in January was a whopping 85 percent.

United States Secretary of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas, defends his and his department’s action in regard to the massive number of illegal immigrants entering the country.

What are your thoughts?#oan #dhs #border #immigration #illegal #biden pic.twitter.com/bQ1bYoXskF

— One America News (@OANN) January 9, 2024

Quoting a Fox News Digital article, Rep. Michael Guest (R-MS) asked Mayorkas, 

It was reported in January of this year that at a meeting with Border Patrol agents that you said that the current rate of release for illegal immigrants apprehended at the southwest border is above 85%. One, did that conversation take place and two, is that number accurate?

Mayorkas attempted to create an illusion of competence around himself and replied,

Congressman, I'm not familiar with that number and I'm not certain to which conversation you refer. I have visited the border so very many times. Perhaps some additional details would guide me in responding to your question accurately. 

Guest proceeded to present Mayorkas with opening comments from the article which stated that Mayorkas,

"made the remarks when meeting privately with agents in Eagle Pass, Texas, according to three Border Patrol sources who were in the room and heard the remarks themselves." 

But that was Mayorkas' story and he was sticking to it, saying, "Congressman, I'll be pleased to provide you with the data points, and certainly I don't view that article as a transcript."

Biden DHS Sec. Alejandro Mayorkas continues to release illegal immigrants directly into the country as fast as possible appears to be intention!

He has the gall to say the system is broken when he could stop it but won’t! pic.twitter.com/YKeVlHUBfY

— Gary D (@KMGGaryde) January 3, 2024

It was here that Guest attempted to erase any whiff of alleged competence surrounding Mayorkas and stated,

So you're not disputing this article? You're not saying that that number is artificially high? You're just saying at this point that you don't have that number here to either admit or deny the 85% that it was alleged there in the article?

Mayorkas simply replied, "I cannot confirm, and I will do so." 

Back in January, Mayorkas visited Eagle Pass, Texas, a major border crossing for illegal immigrants, and tried to float the idea that the majority of illegal immigrants entering the country on Joe Biden's watch had been turned away, but repeated the usual Democrat talking points that the "system is broken," and has been for decades. He stated that,

the majority of all Southwest Border migrant encounters throughout this Administration have been removed, returned, or expelled – the majority of them. We are doing everything we can, within a broken system, to incentivize noncitizens to use lawful pathways, to impose consequences on those who do not, and to reduce irregular migration.

Those Border Patrol agents Mayorkas spoke to in January, and many more, might dispute that claim. So far, in fiscal year 2024, which began in October 2023, there have been 1,151,448 land encounters by Border Patrol with illegal immigrants, but 85 percent have been "removed, returned, or expelled"? Alejandro Mayorkas knows the percentage of illegal immigrants released into the country. But if he answers the question, it only confirms how monumentally bad he is at his job and justifies Republicans' vote back in February to impeach him. The trial was supposed to start this week but has been delayed until the week of April 15.

For Laken Riley, Ruby Garcia, and the countless Americans who have died from cartel drugs, the Senate must hold a full impeachment trial of Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and vote to convict.

— Senator Mike Braun (@SenatorBraun) April 8, 2024