(The Center Square) – The U.S. House has begun debate on two articles of impeachment against U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas over the border crisis, with a vote expected later Tuesday.

Last week, Republicans on the U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security voted along party lines to advance two articles of impeachment against Mayorkas.

Article 1 says Mayorkas violated his oath “to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic, to bear true faith and allegiance to the same, and to well and faithfully discharge the duties of his office, has willfully and systemically refused to comply with Federal immigration laws.”

Article 2 states Mayorkas violated his oath “to well and faithfully discharge the duties” because he “knowingly made false statements, and knowingly obstructed lawful oversight of the Department of Homeland Security of his office.”

Mayorkas maintains he’s followed the law. The White House and DHS have said the impeachment articles don’t meet the standard for “high crimes and misdemeanors.” House Democrats have argued impeaching Mayorkas is a political ploy.

Republicans have a slight majority in the House. If the House votes to impeach Mayorkas, he would be just the second cabinet member in U.S. history and the first in nearly 150 years to be impeached.

Since President Joe Biden first took office and appointed Mayorkas Homeland Security secretary, more than 10 million people have illegally entered the U.S., and the greatest number of known or suspected terrorists have been apprehended. The terrorist numbers do not include “gotaways,” the term used by U.S. Customs and Border Protection for those who illegally enter the country between legal ports of entry and are not apprehended.