(NewsNation) — A U.S. congresswoman submitted a bill to stop Department of Homeland Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas from flying on federal executive aircraft because she does not approve of how he is handling the situation on the U.S.-Mexico border.
Rep. Monica De La Cruz, R-Texas, said at a news conference on Friday that if any cabinet member does not do their job, they cannot enjoy the benefits and privileges of their office — and to her, Mayorkas has not done what he needs to do to secure the southern border.
“Secretary Mayorkas’ failure to secure the southern border has hurt all Americans,” she said. “This has produced a humanitarian crisis in communities like mine along the southern border. Enough is enough.”
Language in the bill sent to NewsNation would make it so Mayorkas would be made to fly commercial until he submits a plan to Congress that: places 90% of U.S. Border Patrol agents deployed in the field rather than administrative duties, reduces the number of Customs and Border Protection encounters with migrants, and offers financial support to communities and governments on the border.
This isn’t the first time a member of the Biden administration has been criticized for their private air travel. A South Carolina Republican filed a bill that would require Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg and his team to fly commercial only.
However, a Department of Transportation spokesperson told NewsNation that out of the 129 flights the secretary has taken, Buttigieg flew commercial on 111 of them.
“There are specific instances where the (Department of Transportation) Ethics Office approves use of the nine-seat FAA plane when it is a more efficient and/or less expensive way for the Secretary and accompanying personnel to travel. This approach has saved taxpayer dollars,” the spokesperson said.
Public servants, De La Cruz argued, should be held to the same standards as private employees.
“If you fail to do your job at work, you just won’t last very long,” she said. “And you certainly don’t get to fly in a private jet.”
The Department of Homeland Security could not immediately be reached for comment.
Mayorkas has often come under fire from the GOP on the issue of immigration. Another Texas Republican, Rep. Pat Fallon, filed articles of impeachment against the Department of Homeland Security secretary, accusing him of lying to Congress when he testified that the U.S. had operational control of the southern border.
When asked at the press conference whether she was also going to file anything to impeach Mayorkas, De La Cruz said that is a discussion that will have to happen with leadership.
“Right now, what I’m focused on is putting out policy that will keep an American community safe,” she told reporters.
NPR reports that Mayorkas said he takes “great exception” to allegations of intentional misconduct at the border, though he does not take the impeachment push seriously.
The news outlet states that there has been a record number of migrant apprehensions over the last two years, and migrants have been allowed to seek asylum, but the Biden administration has also added new enforcement measures aimed at cutting down on illegal crossings.
Devan Markham contributed to this article.
