Conservative lawmakers, activists want Homeland Security's Mayorkas to resign, too

(The Center Square) - U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri and other conservatives are calling on Alejandro Mayorkas, the head of the Department of Homeland Security, to resign in the wake of the resignation of the head of the Secret Service.

Hawley made his remarks in the wake of the resignation of Kimberly Cheatle on Tuesday as the director of the U.S. Secret Service. Cheatle was lambasted for vague answers before the Congressional Oversight Committee Hearing on Monday related to security failues before the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump.

“Now, Mayorkas must do the same,” Hawley posted on X on Tuesday.

Jim DeMint, a former Republican U.S. senator from South Carolina and former president of The Heritage Foundation, also called for Mayorkas to resign.

“DHS Secretary Mayorkas must resign as well,” DeMint posted on X. “He has oversight of Cheatle and Secret Service, which lied that Trump had not been denied requests for more Secret Service protection. He should step down immediately.”

The Secret Service is part of the Department of Homeland Security.

U.S. House Republicans impeached Mayorkas in February over his handling of the border crisis, in which more than 12 million foreign nationals have illegally crossed the U.S. border under his watch. Mayorkas was the first sitting cabinet member to be impeached in U.S. history, but the Democratic-controlled Senate dismissed the charges without ever holding a trial.

Riley Gaines, a former college swimmer turned political activist, also joined the chorus pointing a finger at Mayorkas.

“Cheatle answered to Mayorkas. Why hasn't HE had a press conference on this? Why didn't HE fire Cheatle before she resigned? Has HE been to the site in Butler, PA?” Gaines posted on X. “This administration is disastrous and it would be the same with Kamala. The whole house needs to be cleaned.”

Monica Crowley, a former assistant secretary for Public Affairs for the U.S. Department of the Treasury and a political commentator, also called for Mayorkas' resignation.

"It's not enough for Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle to resign," Crowley stated on X. "She and her boss Open Borders Traitor Alejandro Mayorkas MUST be criminally charged, prosecuted and jailed.

Mayorkas released a statement on X about Cheatle's resignation.

"I am grateful to Kimberly Cheatle for her leadership as the Director of the United States Secret Service and for her lifelong devotion to our country," Mayorkas said. "The men and women of the United States Secret Service risk their lives every day to protect others. They make the Secret Service the finest protection agency in the world."