Rep. Steube Introduces Resolution to Impeach Judge McConnell for Endangering Public Safety and National Security

WASHINGTON - U.S. Representative Greg Steube (R-Fla.) today introduced a resolution impeaching John McConnell, Jr., Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island, for high crimes and misdemeanors.

"Judge McConnell put the interests of noncitizens seeking immigration benefits above the national security of the United States," said Rep. Greg Steube. "By issuing an order vacating policies designed to keep citizens from high-risk countries from posing a threat to public safety, he interfered with the executive branch's ability to keep Americans safe. Judges have a duty to faithfully apply the law, without substituting their own political views for legitimate national security concerns."

The article of impeachment includes:

ARTICLE I: ABUSE OF JUDICIAL DISCRETION, DERELICTION OF DUTY, AND ENDANGERMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY

On June 5, 2026, Judge McConnell issued an order in Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island et al. v. United States Citizenship and Immigration Services et al. vacating a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) policy framework that paused asylum applications and pending immigration benefit requests, required substantive review of previously approved immigration benefit requests, and directed USCIS to consider country-specific factors in discretionary immigration benefit decisions. The policies were designed to ensure that individuals from high-risk countries who entered the United States on or after January 20, 2021, do not present threats to national security or public safety.

The resolution states that Judge McConnell disregarded incidents that necessitated the USCIS policy framework, including the June 2025 guilty plea of Afghan national Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi for conspiring and attempting to provide material support and resources to ISIS for a planned terrorist attack in the United States, as well as the November 2025 terrorist attack against two National Guard members in Washington, D.C., carried out by Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal.

The resolution further states that Judge McConnell dismissed the executive branch's national security justification for the policies and improperly interfered with the federal government's ability to mitigate national security risks associated with individuals originating from countries lacking sufficient vetting protocols and accountability safeguards. By ordering USCIS to resume processing immigration benefits and rejecting national security justifications for the pause, Judge McConnell placed the interests of noncitizens seeking immigration benefits above the national security of the United States.

The resolution concludes that Judge McConnell abused the neutral application of law because of his hostility toward the executive branch's immigration policies. Consequently, public safety and national security concerns were marginalized, contributing to an environment that threatens public safety, and weakening the rule of law. Accordingly, the resolution states that Judge McConnell has engaged in conduct constituting high crimes and misdemeanors and should be removed from office.

Representative Steube's impeachment articles are available in full here.