DHS removes Transformers-themed “Mr. Singh” post amid claims of racist profiling

Indian-American and Sikh groups condemn AI-generated campaign against unlicensed commercial drivers

Washington DC: The US Department of Homeland Security on Thursday (local time) removed an X post featuring a Transformers-themed cartoon confronting an Indian Sikh man with the phrase “Get off our roads, you don’t know how to drive Mr. Singh” following fierce condemnation. The deleted post portrayed a facial-haired man wearing a bandana opposite the Transformers character Optimus Prime adorned with the DHS seal on his armour. The poster also read, "Self deport or find out."According to The New York Times, the image drew immediate backlash from Indian American organisations and Democratic lawmakers, who condemned it as racially discriminatory toward Sikh Americans and harmful to millions sharing the common surname.'Racist, Anti-American': Advocacy Groups Slam DHS Advertisement Targeting 'Mr Singh' Addressing the post, NYT reported that DHS said in a statement that the graphic depicted Harjinder Singh, an Indian national facing vehicular homicide and manslaughter charges after pleading not guilty in a fatal Florida turnpike crash that claimed three lives.The federal agency dismissed the public outcry as “nonsensical drivel” and asserted that “Harjinder Singh is an illegal alien from India who should never have been in our country,” according to the NYT.Harjinder Singh, an illegal alien from India, made an illegal U-turn on a Florida highway in his tractor-trailer, causing a brutal wreck that killed three people in August 2025. He had been granted a CDL by California. pic.twitter.com/pUPjpHcNUj— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) September 9, 2026 It added that the department offered no immediate explanation for why the post was taken down.NYT further highlighted that the timing of the incident, occurring alongside the 25th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks, heightened public outrage. Sikh men, who traditionally keep beards and wear turbans, were repeatedly targeted in violent, anti-Muslim hate crimes following the 2001 attacks due to mistaken identity, NYT reported.The controversial graphic also sparked an immediate online clash between state leadership and federal authorities.California Governor Gavin Newsom sharply criticised the US President Donald Trump administration on social media, writing, "This is disgusting. Trump’s government is trafficking in racist propaganda targeting the Sikh community."Hey Gavin, YOU gave him his CDL and then he killed three people with his tractor-trailer. https://t.co/5qoXLLCMt7 pic.twitter.com/zqWfOZG1Hk— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) September 10, 2026 Responding directly to Newsom, DHS posted a video alongside the reply, "Hey Gavin, YOU gave him his CDL and then he killed three people with his tractor-trailer."The deleted image was part of an aggressive, ongoing social media campaign by DHS highlighting unauthorised commercial drivers involved in fatal traffic accidents.In additional posts on X, DHS reiterated its focus on enforcement, "DHS is getting the worst of the worst off of America's roads. Far too many American lives have been lost or permanently changed because illegal aliens who have no business being on our roads have been granted CDLs. Help us make America's roads safe by dialing 866-347-2423 to report CDL fraud."DHS is getting the worst of the worst off of America's roads. Far too many American lives have been lost or permanently changed because illegal aliens who have no business being on our roads have been granted CDLs. Help us make America's roads safe by dialing 866-347-2423 to…— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) September 9, 2026 The department spotlighted several other cases involving foreign nationals, stating, "Michael Bon, an illegal alien from Haiti, who caused a semi-truck crash that killed a Pennsylvania State Trooper in July 2026. He had been granted a CDL by Massachusetts."Detailing another fatal incident, DHS added, "Another American family faced the unthinkable at the hands of an illegal alien criminal. Alexander Nunez, an illegal alien, was drunk driving in a stolen vehicle on the wrong side of the highway when he crashed into another car. One young father was killed and two of his cousins were seriously injured."Reaffirming its mandate, DHS stated it "is committed to getting criminal illegal aliens out of the country and preventing more of these tragedies in the future."(Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by FPJ's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)

Washington: An advertisement posted by the Department of Homeland Security asking “Mr Singh” to self-deport sparked off a controversy, with advocacy groups terming it “racist” and “anti-American”.DHS campaign sparks controversyThe Department of Homeland Security (DHS) used AI-generated imagery on X to push its campaign against unlicensed commercial drivers, featuring a brown-bearded man with a tagline: “Get off our roads, you don’t know how to drive Mr Singh.”A short video clip in a related post on X shows Megatron, the main antagonist character in the Transformers franchise, negotiating the release of “aliens” -- a term used to describe foreign nationals by the US administration.pic.twitter.com/JoS1yxZzfJ— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) September 9, 2026 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.“If you approach this nation with hostile intent, know this. We will defend ourselves. We will defend Americanism. We will defend our home,” the DHS said in a post on X.Optimus Prime features in postAnother post features Optimus Prime, the main protagonist in the Transformers franchise, with a DHS arm patch confronting the brown-bearded man with the message: “Self-deport or find out”.The reference to “Mr Singh” in the advertisement was criticised by advocacy groups, including the Hindu American Foundation and Sikh Coalition.Advocacy groups condemn advertisement“‘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,” Hindu American Foundation (HAF) said in a post 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.Maybe we’re becoming too used to this hate, but are @Hasbro @takaratomytoys @ParamountPics ok… https://t.co/jk0F0ahrMD— Hindu American Foundation (@HinduAmerican) September 10, 2026 “This is a discriminatory post by a federal agency that is far beyond political messaging, and we welcome an investigation,” the HAF said, tagging Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K Dhillon and FBI Director Kash Patel.“Twenty-five years after 9/11, Sikhs are still being targeted and profiled for how we look,” the Sikh Coalition said in a post on X.India-US Trade Pact Nearly Finalised, Only A Few Issues Remain Under Discussion“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 Sikh Coalition said.DHS promotes self-deportation programmeThe row comes amid a DHS campaign to promote its CBP Home programme, which allows eligible undocumented migrants to register their intention to leave the United States voluntarily.Those registering for self-deportation can receive travel assistance and an exit bonus of USD 2,600, according to the DHS.(Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by FPJ's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)

A Sikh-American news anchor has criticised a controversial social media post by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that used an AI-generated Transformers-style image to promote its immigration messaging.Alec Nolan, an anchor at Fox 7 Austin, said the post was racist and demeaning to people with the surname Singh, while sharing his own family's history of immigration to the United States.My grandpa’s name was Dan Singh. His father, Katha Singh, came to America from India decades ago to seek a better life. He became a raisin farmer in California. My grandpa eventually took over the family business and also worked as a truck driver. This post is racist and… https://t.co/cNMQeTo474— Alec Nolan (@AlecOnFOX7) September 9, 2026 “My grandpa’s name was Dan Singh. His father, Katha Singh, came to America from India decades ago to seek a better life. He became a raisin farmer in California,” Nolan said.He added that his grandfather eventually took over the family business while also working as a truck driver. “This post is racist and demeaning to anyone with the last name Singh,” Nolan said. DHS Post Sparks Controversy The controversy erupted after the official DHS account on X posted an AI-generated image on September 9, styled as a movie poster for the Transformers franchise. The graphic was titled “Transformers: Age of Deportations” and showed a large Transformer facing a brown, bearded South Asian man wearing a head covering. The image also carried the message, “Get off our roads, you don’t know how to drive Mr. Singh,” alongside a call for people to “self-deport.”pic.twitter.com/JoS1yxZzfJ— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) September 9, 2026 Sikh Coalition Criticises Social Media Post The post drew criticism from civil rights organisations, including the Sikh Coalition, which accused the administration of promoting stereotypes about Sikh and South Asian Americans working in the commercial trucking industry.Critics argued that the imagery and messaging reinforced a stereotype that Singh-named or South Asian truck drivers are unsafe on American roads. The controversy also comes amid broader criticism of the Trump administration's use of AI-generated imagery, pop-culture references and aggressive social media campaigns to promote its immigration policies.