'You don't know how to drive Mr Singh': Trump admin's self-deportation poster sparks racism row

The poster shared by the DHS issues a warning to immigrants to “self-deport or find out.”

Updated on: Sep 10, 2026, 10:19:47 IST

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Amid Donald Trump's immigration crackdown in the United States, the Department of Homeland Security released a poster regarding self-deportation. However, this poster, which plays on the movie “Transformers”, has sparked a row online, with many calling it “racist” and “anti-Indian."

The poster shared by the DHS issues a warning to immigrants to “self-deport or find out.” Furthermore, the poster also includes sub-text which says: “Get off our roads. You don't know how to drive, Mr Singh.”

The "you don't know how to drive" line in the poster also comes in light of the recent crashes across the US, where undocumented Indians were identified as the truck drivers.

Following this, the US tightened its rules for Commercial Driver's Licenses and paused certain work permits.

'Racist' and 'Anti-Indian'

The poster issued by Homeland Security has sparked a row online, with many referring to the poster as "racist" and inviting more hate towards Indians in America.

“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," the foundation wrote in a statement on X.

The foundation also called on the Federal Bureau of Investigation to take note of the poster and open an investigation, while also calling on Paramount Pictures, which is the distributor of the Transformers franchise, to take notice of the poster.

Alec Nolan, an anchor with Fox7 news, also condemned the poster and stated it was "demeaning to anyone with the last name Singh."

"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 demeaning to anyone with the last name Singh," the anchor wrote on X.

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