The House of Representatives narrowly voted to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, marking the first cabinet member to face such action in nearly 150 years.
Republicans attribute an unprecedented influx of migrants at the US-Mexico border to Mr. Mayorkas.
With a vote of 214 to 213, the Republican-led chamber passed the measure, following a failed attempt last week.
The issue now proceeds to the Democratic-led Senate, where it’s anticipated to fail.
President Joe Biden denounced the vote as a “blatant act of unconstitutional partisanship” and a “political stunt”.
Critics of Mr. Mayorkas accuse him of failing to uphold his oath to “well and faithfully discharge the duties” of his office by not doing more to secure the border.
The vote largely divided along party lines, with 210 Democrats voting against impeachment, alongside three Republican representatives: Tom McClintock of California, Ken Buck of Colorado, and Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin.
The three dissenters also opposed the initial attempt to impeach Mr. Mayorkas, stating that impeaching someone for a non-serious offense would undermine the constitutional penalty and do little to address the border crisis.
Since 2021, over 6.3 million migrants have entered the US illegally, making immigration a contentious issue ahead of the November election.
Immigration remains a focal point of Donald Trump’s campaign to remove Mr. Biden from office.
In a statement following the vote, President Biden defended Mr. Mayorkas as “an honorable public servant” who has upheld the rule of law and demonstrated commitment to American values.
Mia Ehrenberg, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, accused Republicans of prioritizing constitutional violations over addressing border challenges.
Republican Speaker of the House Mike Johnson insisted that Mr. Mayorkas “deserves to be impeached”.
During two January hearings, Republicans accused Mr. Mayorkas of failing to enforce immigration policies and misleading statements about border security.
Democrat Al Green of Texas, unexpectedly appearing in hospital scrubs after surgery, voted against impeachment.
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, returning after cancer treatment, contributed to the necessary margin for the vote.
Impeachment, outlined in the US Constitution, initiates the process of removing a federal official for high crimes or misdemeanors.
It requires a simple majority in the House and a Senate trial, with a two-thirds majority needed for removal.
Given the Senate’s narrow Democratic control, the impeachment effort is unlikely to succeed.
The House plans to present impeachment articles to the Senate on 26 February.
The last cabinet secretary impeached was Secretary of War William Belknap in 1876, though he resigned before the vote.
A January CBS poll, conducted with the BBC’s US partner, suggests nearly half of Americans perceive the border situation as a crisis, with 63% advocating for tougher border policies.
US Customs and Border Protection reported a 50% decline in border crossings in January, attributing the decrease to seasonal patterns and heightened enforcement efforts.
