Chandigarh, September 11:- A poster shared on social media by the US Department of Homeland Security has sparked a major controversy. The poster, created to promote the Trump administration’s ‘self-deportation’ campaign, has drawn serious allegations from Sikh organisations and Punjabis of carrying a racist and anti-India message. The poster was released amid the Trump administration’s tough campaign against illegal immigration.
The poster issued by the department carries a warning written in the style of the ‘Transformers’ film series — “Self-deport or face the consequences.” Alongside this, the poster specifically states, “Get off our roads, you don’t know how to drive, Mr. Singh.”
The use of the surname ‘Singh’ has triggered strong resentment among Indian-American and Sikh organisations, which say that it unfairly targets people of South Asian origin.
The main reason for the controversy is believed to be the line “you don’t know how to drive,” which is being linked to some recent road accidents in the US in which it was claimed that undocumented Indian nationals were truck drivers. Along with strict scrutiny of commercial truck drivers in the US, the Trump administration has also tightened regulations concerning commercial driving licences and work permits. However, critics argue that linking the surname ‘Singh’ with alleged driving violations amounts to direct racial profiling.
The Hindu American Foundation has also strongly condemned the DHS poster, calling it ‘anti-India profiling.’ The foundation wrote on X, “Singhs are Hindu, Sikh, American, and they drive cars too. This racist and un-American comment by DHS is a shocking blow to the conscience of our country.” The organisation has urged the Federal Bureau of Investigation to take notice of the matter and investigate it, and has also asked Paramount Pictures, the film company behind ‘Transformers’, to take note of the issue.
Fox 7 News anchor Alec Nolan has also sharply condemned the poster. Referring to his family background on X, he wrote, “My grandfather’s name was Dan Singh. His father, Katha Singh, came to America from India decades ago in search of a better life. He became a farmer in California, and my grandfather later also worked as a truck driver. This poster is racist and insults every person with the name ‘Singh’.” The controversy has emerged at a time when the Trump administration has been continuously warning people living in the US illegally to leave the country voluntarily.