DHS 'Mr Singh' self-deport ad sparks racism row in US

A DHS post telling "Mr Singh" to self-deport has triggered outrage from Sikh and Hindu advocacy groups. Critics say the campaign uses ethnic profiling and deepens fears of discrimination against South Asians in America.Stock photo used for illustrationAn advertisement by the US Department of Homeland Security asking "Mr Singh" to self-deport has sparked controversy, with advocacy groups calling it racist and anti-American. The criticism followed a series of posts by the department on X that used AI-generated imagery and characters from the Transformers franchise.The posts were part of a DHS campaign against unlicensed commercial drivers and came amid its push for the CBP Home programme, under which eligible undocumented migrants can register their intention to leave the United States voluntarily. One post carried the line, "Get off our roads, you don't know how to drive Mr Singh," while another said, "Self-deport or find out."The DHS used an AI-generated image of a brown-bearded man in the post aimed at unlicensed commercial drivers. A related short video clip on X showed Megatron, the main antagonist in the Transformers franchise, negotiating the release of "aliens" — a term used by the US administration for foreign nationals. In the clip, Megatron is shown seeking the release of truck drivers Harjinder Singh, Rajinder Kumar, Bekzhan Beishekeev, Akhror Bozorov, and Jasveer Singh, who were involved in road accidents and other crimes. In another post, the DHS said, "If you approach this nation with hostile intent, know this. We will defend ourselves. We will defend Americanism. We will defend our home."The reference to "Mr Singh" drew criticism from groups including the Hindu American Foundation and the Coalition of Hindus of North America. The Hindu American Foundation said on X, "Singhs are Hindu, they are Sikhs, they are American and they drive. Racist, un-American, anti-Indian profiling/trolling by @DHSgov should shock our nation's collective conscience." It added, "This is a discriminatory post by a federal agency that is far beyond political messaging, and we welcome an investigation," while tagging Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K Dhillon and FBI Director Kash Patel. The Coalition of Hindus of North America said, "Enforce the law. Do not caricature a people. @DHSgov Dangerous drivers come from all backgrounds, ethnicities, faiths and last names." The group added, "Singling out SOME last names does nothing for safe streets, but it does endanger the safety of hundreds of thousands of Americans with names like Singh and Kumar." The Sikh Coalition also criticised the post, saying, "Twenty-five years after 9/11, Sikhs are still being targeted and profiled for how we look." It added, "Millions of Sikhs in the United States have the last name Singh, which means lion. We remain fearless in identifying as Sikhs – even when our government portrays us as enemies."The row comes as the DHS continues to promote the CBP Home programme. According to the department, those who register for self-deportation can receive travel assistance and an exit bonus of USD 2,600, even as its "Mr Singh" advertisement has triggered a wider backlash over profiling and discrimination. With PTI Inputs- EndsPublished By: India Today Web Desk Published On: Sep 10, 2026 19:26 IST