Don’t fall for Susan Collins’ latest playacting as a moderate senator, bravely defending immigrant rights in Maine against Kristi Noem and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). She had nothing to do with Noem pausing the “surge.” This was strictly a political decision by the administration and the Republican Party to help with her reelection bid for a sixth term.

Skeptical? Then why hasn’t she called for pausing DHS surges nationwide? Why hasn’t she pushed for the release of detainees whom her own statement identified as improperly detained? Why hasn’t she decried the lack of due process in detentions — a violation of the 14th Amendment? Why hasn’t she demanded an end to home invasions without a judicial warrant, a violation of the Fourth Amendment? Why hasn’t she called for an end to masking? Why did she vote to include DHS funding among other agencies and thus prevent a separate consideration of its funding?

Why hasn’t she condemned Noem, Stephen Miller and Greg Bovino for dehumanizing Alex Pretti, Renee Good and others by calling them “agitators,” “assassins” and “domestic terrorists”? Why hasn’t she demanded public transparency in the detainee database maintained by DHS, showing when and where they were detained, where they are now and a list of criminal charges that makes each detainee a “worst of the worst”? Why hasn’t she condemned detentions of children?

Susan Collins is no friend of immigrants in Maine or anywhere else, and she is definitely no moderate. Don’t take the bait.

Mark Love
Falmouth