Washington DC - The US House on Monday voted to block a snap impeachment decision against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, whom Republicans have accused of dereliction of duty.

The House voted 209-201 to refer the impeachment question to the Homeland Security Committee, where an investigation into Mayorkas will continue.

Far-right Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene introduced the articles of impeachment last week, accusing Mayorkas of failing to do enough to stop migrants from crossing the Southern border into the US.

Greene's resolution alleges that Mayorkas has violated a 2006 law requiring the government to keep "operational control" over the US-Mexico border in addition to a clause of the Constitution guaranteeing states protection against "invasion."

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The Department of Homeland Security has denied the validity of Republican claims, with a spokesperson calling the impeachment effort a "baseless attack" and a "harmful distraction from our critical national security priorities."

Meanwhile, immigrants' rights advocates have slammed the Biden administration for pushing policies to fast-track border wall construction, criminalize asylum, and boost militarization of the US border and surrounding communities.

US border agents have made more than 5 million arrests of migrants crossing not through controlled stations since Biden took office in 2021.