WASHINGTON -- The US Senate on Wednesday voted along party lines to effectively dismiss the first article of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

By a vote of 51-48, the upper chamber sustained an objection by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who declared the charge unconstitutional.

In February, the Republican-held House of Representatives narrowly voted to impeach Mayorkas, making him the first cabinet member to be impeached in nearly 150 years.

Mayorkas was impeached for "willful and systemic refusal to comply with the law" in enforcing border policy and for breaching public trust.

Republicans blame the influx of immigrants on "dereliction of duty" by Mayorkas and say the homeland security secretary needs to step down because of it. They have frequently berated Mayorkas at hearings the House Homeland Security Committee has held on the border crisis since last year.