It's a step that will launch a trial in the Senate- but they are expected to quickly defeat the effort.

"Article one - willful and systemic refusal to comply with the law."

Senators sat silently at their desks while Republican Congressman Mark Green read aloud the charges against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas,

which allege he failed to enforce U.S. immigration laws and lied to Congress.

Mayorkas denies the charges.

House Republicans voted to impeach him in February. They blame him and the Biden administration for the record levels of border crossings since 2021 when Biden was sworn in.

Recent Reuters polls cite immigration as a top concern for Republican voters ahead of the November presidential and congressional elections- and the party has used the issue to motivate their base.

Earlier in the day, Mayorkas spent nearly three hours testifying to the House Homeland Security Committee- the panel that launched his impeachment.

He was called to testify about his agency's budget for next year, but impeachment set the tone of the hearing.

"Is that a yes?"

"As I said, when it is executed properly, it is a force multiplier for our enforcement efforts."

"You can't get a straight answer out of this guy."

Senators are due Wednesday to be sworn in as jurors in the trial.

While it could take at least a week, top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer is expected to try to end it before it starts.

He and others in his party argue that House Republicans are motivated by political concerns and have failed to demonstrate illegal actions on Mayorkas' part.

Mayorkas is only the second presidential cabinet official facing removal through impeachment- and the last time was in 1876.