Biden admits border not secure as Mayorkas impeachment battle heats up

In a move that could signal an increase in the likelihood of a high-level Cabinet firing, President Joe Biden has all but admitted that the southern border is not and has not been secure for many years, as the New York Post reports, potentially painting an even larger target on the back of embattled Homeland Security Secretary Alexander Mayorkas.

On Friday, Biden acknowledged to reporters that the border between the United States and Mexico is not secure, a position that stands in contrast with representations made by Mayorkas -- currently the subject of impeachment proceedings in the House -- throughout his tenure at the helm of DHS.

Biden admission makes headlines

Speaking in the White House East Room after addressing a group of assembled mayors from across the country last week, Biden was asked whether the border is indeed secure, as Mayorkas has often insisted.

“No, it's not,” the president stated in what appeared to be a dramatic shift in administration messaging.

Biden also said, “I believe we need significant policy changes at the border, including changes in our asylum to ensure that we have the authorities we need to control the border.”

“I'm ready to act,” Biden added, though precisely what he is willing to do remains unclear, particularly in the face of competing demands from Republicans in the House and Democrats in the Senate.

“I don't get it”

Despite those rather jarring admissions about the border, Biden also appeared perplexed as to why Republicans in the House were pursuing impeachment proceedings against Mayorkas, as the Daily Caller explained.

Fox News' Jacqui Heinrich pressed the issue and asked Biden directly, “What do you say to Republicans who are trying to impeach Mayorkas?”

Biden replied simply, “I don't get it.”

Impeachment process moves forward

Meanwhile, the House Homeland Security Committee last week held a second impeachment hearing for Mayorkas, as the Daily Wire reported, and chair Mark Green (R-TN) later appeared confident in the trajectory of the proceedings during an interview with Fox News' Maria Bartiromo.

“Right now, we are assembling articles of impeachment to present to our committee. We will mark those up in committee very shortly after getting back. And then, passing the committee, they will go to the floor for a vote on the floor,” Green declared.

Though Green stated that he has sufficient votes to accomplish the impeachment phase of the process in the lower chamber, he was less certain about whether Mayorkas would ultimately be removed from his role, but he also said that because the secretary has “subverted the laws passed by Congress,” he certainly deserves that fate.