Despite Concerns, Senate Panel Advances DHS Nominee

Party-line vote for man who will play No. 2 in running agency

The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee signed off Wednesday on the nomination of Alejandro Mayorkas to be the next No. 2 at the Department of Homeland Security over objections from Republicans who want to wait for an ongoing inspector general investigation into Mr. Mayorkas to be completed.

All nine Democratic members of the committee voted to advance his nomination and all seven Republican members voted "present."

Chairman Tom Carper, Delaware Democrat, said that while the investigation likely wouldn't be completed for months, an update last week from a staff member in the DHS inspector general's office has thus far found no evidence of criminal wrongdoing of anyone at DHS, including Mr. Mayorkas.