'Get off our roads Mr Singh': Trump administration's 'self-deport' advertisement sparks row - The Times of India

**U.S. Homeland Security’s “Get Off Our Roads, Mr Singh” Poster Sparks Outcry**

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released a billboard and digital advertisement in several U.S. cities that depicts a caricature of a South‑Asian man, identified only as “Mr Singh,” with the caption “Get off our roads.” The ad urges the unnamed individual to “self‑deport” and implies that illegal immigration is responsible for traffic congestion and crime. The campaign, part of a broader “America First” immigration enforcement push under the Trump administration, was unveiled last week in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles, drawing immediate condemnation from civil‑rights groups, Sikh advocacy organizations, and several elected officials.

Sikh community leaders quickly denounced the poster as a blatant act of racial profiling. The United Sikh Association (USA) released a statement calling the ad “dangerously stereotypical” and warned that it could incite hate crimes against a community that has historically faced discrimination in the United States. The Sikh Coalition’s legal director, Jaspreet Kaur, noted that the ad conflates immigration status with religious identity, a practice that “violates both the Equal Protection Clause and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.” The Indian Ministry of External Affairs also lodged a diplomatic protest, urging Washington to retract the material and refrain from targeting any specific ethnic or religious group.

In response, DHS spokesperson Linda Martinez defended the advertisement, saying it “targets illegal activity, not any particular community,” and that the imagery was chosen to illustrate how unauthorized drivers contribute to road safety concerns. The administration has not yet indicated whether the campaign will be revised or withdrawn, but the White House press secretary has promised a “review of the messaging” following the backlash. Legal experts predict that the ad could face challenges in federal court, where plaintiffs may argue that it constitutes government‑sanctioned discrimination. Meanwhile, civil‑rights organizations are mobilizing to file complaints with the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division and to organize protests at the billboard locations.

The controversy arrives amid heightened tensions over immigration policy, with the administration accelerating interior enforcement actions and expanding the use of “self‑deportation” language in public communications. Critics argue that such messaging undermines community trust and fuels xenophobia, while supporters claim it is a necessary deterrent against illegal entry and overstays. As the debate unfolds, the “Mr Singh” poster remains a flashpoint in the broader conversation about how the U.S. government balances immigration enforcement with the protection of civil liberties and minority rights.