Republicans in the US are mulling over the prospect of impeaching President Joe Biden for his handling of the "border crisis" and the recent extension of an eviction moratorium by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
House GOP member Bob Gibbs made the proposal to his fellow Republicans in the chamber, accusing POTUS of disregarding his constitutional duties and violating the "boundaries" of his powers. The lawmaker argued that House GOP members need "a sober, evidence-based discussion regarding impeachment".
"The rule of law, the separation of powers, and the limitations of executive authority are not just talking points conservatives and Republicans use on the campaign trail. When we see clear violations of the oath entrusted in elected officials, it is time to consider our constitutional duties", Gibbs said in an interview with The Daily Caller.
Gibbs believes that the extension of the eviction moratorium was a direct violation of the system of checks and balances as it may have been illegal. The White House and Biden himself questioned on 2 August the possibility of extending the moratorium past July after the Supreme Court ruled that such an extension requires a green light from Congress. And yet, Biden lauded the CDC's extension of the moratorium the next day, with the Congress being in August recess.
White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki deflected reporters' questions about Biden's flip-flop on the issue, claiming that the administration believes the move was legal, without delving into details.
Border Issue Keeps Bugging Biden Administration
In his interview with The Daily Caller, Gibbs also argued that Biden's border policy, which allegedly prompted a surge in arrivals of illegal migrants, was a sign of negligence towards American security. However, the Republicans are not the only ones unhappy about the White House's immigration policies. While the Republicans condemn the administration for rescinding some of the harsher Trump-era practices, some Democrats have slammed Biden for actually keeping and perpetuating some of the policies implemented by the former president.
They are especially unhappy about the continued use of Title 42 – a US law that allows authorities to turn away migrants at the border for health safety reasons, thus depriving them of a chance to apply for asylum or stay in the US while the application is reviewed. The use of Title 42 against migrants coming through Mexico started with the onset of the pandemic, but unlike some of Trump's other anti-immigration initiatives, this one was not cancelled by Biden on his first day in office.