Senate to begin Mayorkas impeachment trial this week. Here's what you need to know

The Senate is set to begin an impeachment trial this week for Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas— the first of its kind in nearly 150 years.

House members are scheduled to deliver the articles of impeachment to the Senate on Wednesday, nearly two months after the House narrowly voted to impeach Mayorkas. Senate Democrats have called the process a politically motivated "sham" and it is highly unlikely that Mayorkas will be convicted of any crimes or removed from his cabinet position.

At the center of the procedural fight is the U.S.-Mexico border and the people who have crossed it in record numbers. Republicans accuse Mayorkas of refusing to enforce immigration laws, Democrats say Republicans have a policy disagreement with the White House and impeachment isn't the way to address it.

What are the crimes Republicans say Mayorkas committed?

GOP members approved two articles of impeachment: one that accuses Mayorkas of violating laws related to immigration and border security and a second that accuses him of making false statements while under oath to Congress.

Specifically, the lawmakers argue Mayorkas opened up the possibility of parole resulting in an increase in migrants crossing the border under his time as Secretary.

The Homeland Security Department, under U.S. immigration law, has the ability to grant "parole" to noncitizens seeking to be in the U.S. But this does not mean they are provided with an immigration status, or are formally admitted, according to the American Immigration Council.

"This administration has, however, set a new record where the numbers of parole actions and the numbers of people paroled into the country are concerned," Doris Meissner a former commissioner of the Immigration and