A recent hearing by the House Homeland Security Committee scrutinized border policies under U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. Austin Knudsen, Attorney General of Montana, advocated for Mayorkas' impeachment, asserting that the Biden administration has not adequately secured the southern border.
In a succinct summary of his stance, Knudsen stated, "The conclusion is clear," and added, "Secretary Mayorkas has violated his oath." He concluded with a call to action: "I urge this body to impeach."
According to his written testimony, Knudsen claimed that Mexican drug cartels have exploited weak border security under Mayorkas' leadership to expand their operations into America.
Knudsen further detailed in his testimony how the influence of these cartels is evident even in Montana. He cited an instance of a drug-related gunfight near his children's school and reported witnessing murders, assaults, abuse, and other incidents directly linked to the drug epidemic.
In his testimony, Knudsen also provided statistics related to the drug crisis. He revealed that in Montana alone, "6,663 dosage units of fentanyl" were seized in 2020. However, after Mayorkas assumed control of border security in 2021, that number surged "ten-fold to 61,000". Since then, the figure has continued to rise with 190,000 dosage units recorded in 2022 and an expected "nearly one half-million" in 2023. According to Knudsen, all these drugs entered through the southern border.
In concluding remarks during his testimony, Knudsen contended that American citizens are noticing the rapid deterioration of southern border security. He emphasized the need for action against Mayorkas via impeachment.
Knudsen's profile on the Montana Department of Justice website reveals him as a native Montanan with a diverse background in agriculture, law and politics. After earning a law degree from the University of Montana, he established his own law firm before entering politics. Elected as a state representative in 2010, he served as Speaker of the House and later as Roosevelt County Attorney. Currently, as Montana's attorney general, he focuses on combating drug-related issues and supporting law enforcement.
The House Homeland Security Committee was established in 2002 in response to the September 11 terrorist attack. However, according to its official website, it was not officially recognized until 2005 when it became a "Standing Committee of the House". The committee's mission is to protect American citizens through policy and legislation against terrorist attacks.
