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WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate swiftly tossed the impeachment articles against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Wednesday, but not without an effort by Texas’ senators and other Republicans to have a full Senate trial for the secretary.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer adjourned the trial on a simple majority vote, after 51 Democrats voted to dismiss the charges brought by the House, deeming them unconstitutional. The outcome of the impeachment effort had long been anticipated. Democrats control a majority in the Senate, and the Constitution requires a two-thirds majority in the upper chamber to convict.

But several Republicans made an effort to have a trial in the upper chamber where they could air their grievances against Mayorkas, and later warned that Democrats set a dangerous precedent by refusing to hear an impeachment trial.

“The majority leader’s position is asking members of this Senate to vote on political expediency to avoid listening to arguments,” said Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas. “The only way to actually resolve this question is to debate it, to consider the Constitution and to consider the law.”

The House impeached Mayorkas on a party-line vote in February, asserting he failed to enforce the law on the border and lied to Congress when he said the administration had control of the border. He’s the first cabinet secretary to be impeached in 150 years. Democrats decried the impeachment as a partisan attack.

House impeachment managers, including Texas Reps. Michael McCaul, R-Austin, and August Pfluger, R-San Angelo, presented the articles of impeachment to the Senate on Tuesday.

When the Senate took up the matter on Wednesday, Schumer proposed a set of trial rules that would allow one hour of debate per article of impeachment. Cruz and Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, had lecterns on their desks, preparing to propose resolutions that would dictate how the trial would be run. They could be seen in the chamber deliberating beforehand, preparing to make their cases.

But Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Missouri, objected to Schumer’s proposal, demanding a full trial akin to a criminal court. Schumer’s proposal needed unanimous support to go forward.