US removes AI 'Mr Singh' deportation poster after massive backlash over racism

The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Thursday took down an AI-generated Transformers-style poster asking "Mr Singh" to self-deport after Indian-American groups and Democratic leaders criticised it as "racist propaganda."

The post, which was shared on X as part of the agency’s campaign against unlicensed commercial drivers, used AI-generated imagery of a brown-bearded man and carried the line: “Get off our roads, you don’t know how to drive Mr Singh.”

The post drew strong criticism from Indian-American and Sikh advocacy groups, and from leaders including California Governor Gavin Newsom and Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi. While the DHS took down the advertisement, it also hit back at Newsom, accusing him of issuing commercial driving licences to illegal immigrants. The row comes as the department promotes its CBP Home programme, under which eligible undocumented migrants can register their intention to leave the United States voluntarily.

Besides the “Mr Singh” post, the DHS also shared another image featuring Optimus Prime, the main protagonist in the Transformers franchise, with a DHS arm patch confronting the same brown-bearded man with the message: “Self-deport or find out.” In a related video clip posted on X, Megatron, the main antagonist in the franchise, is shown negotiating the release of “aliens” — a term used by the US administration for foreign nationals.

In that 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. The DHS said in a post on X: “If you approach this nation with hostile intent, know this. We will defend ourselves. We will defend Americanism. We will defend our home.” The department also posted a video of truck driver Harjinder Singh, who was arrested after a crash caused by an illegal U-turn last year in which three people were killed.

Newsom’s press office said on X: “This is disgusting. Trump’s government is trafficking in racist propaganda targeting the Sikh community.” Krishnamoorthi also condemned the DHS post, saying: “Our government should never use its power to demonise people or suggest that their faith, heritage, or identity means they do not belong here.” He added: “More than 160,000 people in the United States share the surname Singh. When the government demonises a name carried by so many Sikh families, it fuels xenophobia and casts suspicion on an entire community.”

Advocacy groups including the Hindu American Foundation, Sikh Coalition, HinduAction and the Coalition of Hindus of North America called the advertisement un-American and racist. The Hindu American Foundation said: “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.”

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.” It added that 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 said: “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.”

After the post was removed, diaspora groups welcomed the move but said more was needed. The Hindu American Foundation said: “The DHS has now removed the post we called out yesterday. We welcome its removal. But when a federal agency uses a racialised caricature of an Indian/Sikh man to make a political point, taking the post down is only the first step.” It added: “Indian Americans, Sikhs, Hindus, and South Asians deserve better from their government.”

The controversy over the “Mr Singh” advertisement has unfolded alongside the DHS push for its CBP Home programme, under which those registering for self-deportation can receive travel assistance and an exit bonus of USD 2,600. The department has removed the original post, but the reactions from political leaders and community groups have kept the focus on its use of the “Mr Singh” message and imagery.- Ends(With PTI inputs)Published By: India Today Web Desk Published On: Sep 11, 2026 00:44 IST