In an Oct. 6 letter to me, Sen. Susan Collins stated, “I oppose amnesty” for illegal aliens. This was reassuring, as Sen. Collins’ record on amnesty is uneven.

She voted against the 2007 comprehensive immigration reform bill, which would have given amnesty to the illegal aliens in the country, but voted for the 2013 version. (In the latter case, however, she may have had to trade her vote to add an amendment to the bill.)

In a Dec. 18 email to constituents, she said: “I believe President Obama’s recent executive action on immigration circumvents Congress and undermines the separation of powers in our Constitution.”

She further related that the recently passed budget funds the Department of Homeland Security only until February, which would be “giving Congress time to thoughtfully respond to the President’s unilateral action on immigration … .”

But on Dec. 13, Sen. Collins was one of 20 Republicans who voted against Sen. Ted Cruz’s point of order. It would have branded as unconstitutional President Obama’s recent executive actions that defer deportation for up to 5 million illegal aliens. The vote was 22 for the “point of order,” and 74 against.

“Oppose.” “Believe.” “Thoughtfully.”

Empty rhetoric.

The horse is out of the barn, as by February, the administration will have had several months to move along the process of de facto legalization of millions of illegal aliens.

I voted for the re-election of U.S. Sen. Susan Collins on Nov. 4.

Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa.

Bob Casimiro

Bridgton

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