House Homeland Security Committee Republicans approved two articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas just after midnight Wednesday, sending the vote to the House floor.

Why it matters: If the historic vote succeeds, Mayorkas would be the first Cabinet member to be impeached since 1876.

• For years, conservatives have been gunning to impeach Mayorkas as the border has become the No. 1 issue for the Republican Party.
• Democrats stonewalled and insisted that Republicans had failed to provide evidence of the constitutional standard of high crimes and misdemeanors.
• The articles passed out of committee along party lines.

What they're saying: "Today is a grave day. We have not approached this day or this process lightly. Secretary Mayorkas's actions have forced our hand," Homeland Security Chairman Mark Green (R-Tenn.) said in his opening statement.

• Ranking Member Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) said the "impeachment scheme is a dangerous attempt to distort the Constitution and the Secretary's record to cover up their inability and unwillingness to work with Democrats."

Zoom in: A slew of key voices and legal experts have spoken out against the impeachment effort.

• Former President Trump's impeachment defender Alan Dershowitz published an op-ed Tuesday evening, arguing Mayorkas "has not committed bribery, treason, or high crimes and misdemeanors" and that most Republicans "are prepared to apply a double standard based on partisan considerations."
• The Wall Street Editorial Board warned that "impeaching Mr. Mayorkas won't change enforcement policy and is a bad precedent that will open the gates to more cabinet impeachments by both parties."

Between the lines: During the impeachment push, House Republicans are also slamming Senate negotiations on a border deal that would be one of the most conservative border bills of the century.

• Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has indicated that the pending Senate border plan would be "dead on arrival" in the House.
• If the House manages to pass articles of impeachment against Mayorkas, an impeachment trial will meet the same fate in the Democratic-controlled Senate.