DHS Takes Down ‘Mr. Singh’ Post Targeting Indian Truckers After Racism Charges

India-West News Desk

WASHINGTON, DC –  The Department of Homeland Security has pulled down a social media post targeting “Mr. Singh” after widespread criticism from Sikh and Indian American groups and Democratic lawmakers, backing away from a message the department initially defended as part of its campaign against undocumented commercial drivers.

The post, published on September 9 on DHS’s official X account, showed a brown-skinned, bearded man wearing a head covering facing Optimus Prime from the ‘Transformers’ franchise, depicted with a DHS insignia. The graphic told “Mr. Singh” to “get off our roads” because he did not know how to drive and urged undocumented immigrants to “self-deport or find out.”

As the first storm of protests began, DHS initially stood by the message, saying it referred to Harjinder Singh, an Indian man accused of causing a fatal Florida crash last year that killed three people in a minivan.

The department also tied the post to its broader campaign against undocumented truck drivers. In a related video, DHS highlighted several commercial drivers it said were in the country illegally, including Harjinder Singh.

Critics said the government had turned an individual immigration and criminal case into a message that could stigmatize an entire community.

Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) said the federal government should not use its authority to single out people because of their names, faith or heritage. He warned that portraying “Mr. Singh” as a villain could direct suspicion toward the many Sikh Americans who share the surname.

The Sikh Coalition said the message was particularly troubling because Sikhs have faced decades of profiling based on their appearance, including violence and harassment after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

The controversy comes as the Trump administration has intensified immigration enforcement and focused on commercial drivers, including Indian truckers. The DHS campaign has also promoted its CBP Home program, which encourages eligible undocumented immigrants to leave the United States voluntarily.

By September 10 afternoon, the “Mr. Singh” graphic was no longer on DHS’s account.