FIRST ON FOX: Republican lawmakers said Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas should be next on the chopping block after Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Commissioner Chris Magnus’ resignation over the weekend.
Magnus resigned from his post after being given an ultimatum to quit or get the pink slip. He had previously refused to step down.
‘The Biden administration found their fall guy for the chaos at the border,’ Senator Ted Cruz, R-Texas, told Fox News Digital. ‘Responsibility for the border crisis lies with Joe Biden and DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, and real accountability starts with Mayorkas being impeached. Every moment the border continues to remain open only heightens the present humanitarian and national security crisis.’
‘Nothing will be fixed at the border until Biden reverses his open border policies,’ Georgia Rep. Austin Scott, a Republican, told Fox News Digital. ‘Magnus was just another example of the administration’s incompetent handling of our southern border.’
Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., told Fox News Digital that the Biden administration found a ‘scapegoat’ in Magnus and called on Mayorkas to resign.
‘The Biden administration has completely failed to protect our borders, and now it’s trying to find a scapegoat,’ Burchett said. ‘Mayorkas should be the one to resign.’
‘When Republicans take over the House, we’re gonna bring some rational thought back to our border security operations,’ he continued.
Texas Republican Rep. August Pfluger also called on Mayorkas to hit the road, telling Fox News Digital the DHS secretary tried to use Magnus’ departure as a cover-up of his own ‘failures.’
‘Secretary Mayorkas may be trying to cover for his failures by ousting his own CBP director, but he will not escape responsibility for his hand in the border crisis,’ Pfluger said. ‘The leadership change we need is Mayorkas.’
Other Republicans also called for Mayorkas to share in Magnus’ political fate, including Texas Republican Rep. Lance Gooden.
‘Joe Biden’s border chief Chris Magnus has resigned,’ Gooden tweeted. ‘Accountability would be DHS Secretary Mayorkas joining him.’
Texas GOP lawmakers sounded off online after Magnus’ resignation, with fellow Rep. Mayra Flores tweeting that Mayorkas ‘should be next.’
Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, who represents a border district on the Rio Grande Valley, tweeted that the former CBP commissioner was not committed to his agency’s mission from the get-go and wrote that his replacement should be someone who supports Border Patrol.
‘From the start, Chris Magnus has shown he is not invested in CBP’s main mission: to protect our borders and keep Americans safe,’ Gonzales wrote. ‘His replacement must be someone who supports our BP agents and is committed to our national security.’
‘Two weeks ago, we called for the resignation of CBP Commissioner Chris Magnus,’ Rep. Randy Weber, R-Texas, wrote. ‘This weekend, he resigned after his complete neglect to address the border crisis.’
‘Mayorkas should be next,’ Weber added.
President Biden accepted Magnus’ resignation letter, according to a Saturday night press release from the White House.
‘The President has accepted the resignation of Christopher Magnus, the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection. President Biden appreciates Commissioner Magnus’ nearly forty years of service and the contributions he made to police reform during his tenure as police chief in three U.S. cities. The President thanks Mr. Magnus for his service at CBP and wishes him well,’ White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.
In a resignation letter, Magnus said his resignation is ‘effective immediately.’
‘Thank you for the opportunity to serve as your Senate confirmed Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection over the past year. It has been a privilege and honor to be part of your administration,’ Magnus said in the resignation letter shared by the White House. ‘I am submitting my resignation effective immediately but wish you and your administration the very best going forward. Thank you again for this tremendous opportunity.’
Magnus was told to resign or be fired by Mayorkas, according to a government source.
DHS did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment on the Republicans’ calls for Mayorkas to resign.
Fox News Digital’s Adam Sabes contributed reporting.