US lawmaker condemns DHS deportation post targeting ‘Mr Singh’

Indian-American Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi has condemned a social media post by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that portrayed a man identified as “Mr Singh” in a deportation-themed graphic.

The Illinois Democrat described the post as racist and warned that using a surname shared by thousands of Sikh families could encourage xenophobia against an entire community.

According to a statement issued by Krishnamoorthi’s office, the Transformers-style graphic portrayed “Mr Singh” as a villain, directed him to “get off our roads” and carried the warning “self-deport or find out”.

“Our government should never use its power to demonize people or suggest that their faith, heritage, or identity means they do not belong here,” Krishnamoorthi said.

“Yet in an official social media post styled as a movie poster, the Trump Department of Homeland Security depicted a man labeled ‘Mr. Singh’ as the villain, told him to ‘get off our roads,’ and warned him to ‘self-deport or find out,’” he added.

The lawmaker noted that more than 160,000 people in the United States share the surname Singh. One of the most recognisable Sikh surnames, Singh is also commonly used across India and among Indian-origin communities worldwide.

“When the government demonizes a name carried by so many Sikh families, it fuels xenophobia and casts suspicion on an entire community,” Krishnamoorthi said.

“Sikh and South Asian Americans are as American as anyone. This is our country and our home, and there should be no room for hate here,” he added.

The row comes amid intensified immigration enforcement by the Trump administration, which has increasingly used official social media platforms to publicise its deportation policies.

Born in New Delhi and raised in the United States, Krishnamoorthi represents an Illinois congressional district with a sizeable immigrant population. He has frequently raised issues concerning Indian-American, Sikh and other South Asian communities.

With IANS inputs