The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has sparked a controversy with a social media poster promoting the Trump administration’s self-deportation campaign, with critics accusing the department of using racist and anti-Indian messaging.The poster, shared amid the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, carries the warning “Self-deport or find out” and features a reference to the Transformers franchise.It also includes the line: “Get off our roads. You don’t know how to drive, Mr Singh.”pic.twitter.com/JoS1yxZzfJ— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) September 9, 2026The reference to the surname Singh has drawn criticism from Indian-American and Sikh groups, who say the messaging unfairly stereotypes people of South Asian origin.Why did the DHS poster spark controversy?The “you don’t know how to drive” line appears to reference recent fatal crashes in the US in which undocumented Indian nationals were reportedly identified as truck drivers.The issue comes amid tighter US scrutiny of commercial truck drivers. The Trump administration has also moved to tighten rules surrounding Commercial Driver’s Licences (CDLs) and work permits for certain immigrants.However, critics argue that linking the surname Singh to alleged driving violations amounts to racial and ethnic profiling.The Hindu American Foundation condemned the DHS post, accusing the department of “anti-India profiling.”“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 said in a post on X.The organisation also called on the Federal Bureau of Investigation to take note of the post and investigate it. It further urged Paramount Pictures, distributor of the Transformers franchise, to take notice of the DHS poster.Fox News anchor criticises DHS postAlec Nolan, an anchor with Fox 7 News, also criticised the poster, saying 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,” Nolan wrote on X.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, 2026The controversy comes as the Trump administration continues its aggressive immigration enforcement and encourages people without legal status to leave the US voluntarily.The DHS campaign has used social media and other messaging to promote self-deportation, warning undocumented immigrants that they could face arrest, detention and removal if they remain in the country.The latest poster, however, has drawn particular criticism because of its direct reference to the surname Singh, which is widely associated with Sikh and Indian communities.