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After Missouri Republican Senator Josh Hawley laid into Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas over an employee who denounced Israel on social media, Mayorkas rejected any implication that he endorses antisemitism, reminding Hawley that he's "the child of a Holocaust survivor."
The confrontation between the two unfolded during a congressional hearing when Hawley grilled Mayorkas about a DHS employee who allegedly made inflammatory social media posts denouncing Israel following a brutal attack by Hamas militants on October 7.
The employee was subsequently placed on administrative leave, and Hawley repeatedly pressed Mayorkas to confirm if they had been terminated. Mayorkas maintained that he could not comment on an "ongoing personnel matter."
Hawley asked, "Is this typical of people who work at DHS?" and criticized Mayorkas as "despicable" for not answering his questions. But Mayorkas, who is of Jewish heritage, quickly fired back.
You can watch what happened in the video below.
Mayorkas said:
“What I found despicable is the implication that this language, tremendously odious, actually could be emblematic of the sentiments of the 260,000 men and women of the Department of Homeland Security."
Mayorkas also highlighted Hawley's "adversarial approach" in the line of questioning and raised the possibility that Hawley may not be aware of his personal background.
He then specified why he took issue with the insinuation that he is antisemitic:
“Perhaps he does not know that I am the child of a Holocaust survivor."
"Perhaps he does not know that my mother lost almost all her family at the hands of the Nazis. And so I find his adversarial tone to be entirely misplaced."
"I find it to be disrespectful of me and my heritage. I do not expect an apology. But I did want to say what I just articulated."
Hawley's conduct was swiftly criticized.
Hawley's exchange with Mayorkas took place just days after he announced on his official website that the Senate had passed his proposed resolution condemning Hamas' attack on Israel, which claimed the lives of more than 1,400 people.
Hawley had called on the Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate potential connections between pro-Palestinian student groups and Hamas.
Additionally, he urged DHS to address individuals with possible links to terrorism at the southern border, referring to them as "terror-linked aliens."