September 11, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
UNITED SIKHS has formally urged US Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin to order a civil-rights review and corrective action following the publication of a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) social media graphic that the organisation said relied on religious and racial stereotypes involving the name “Singh”.
The organisation welcomed DHS’s decision to remove the controversial post but said taking it down did not adequately address the concerns raised by the imagery and language used in the official communication.
The graphic depicted a brown, bearded man alongside an Optimus Prime character and included phrases such as “America for Americans,” “Self-deport or find out,” and “Get off our roads; you don’t know how to drive Mr. Singh.”
UNITED SIKHS said the use of “Singh” in connection with messages about immigration, dangerous driving and foreignness was particularly concerning because the name has profound religious and cultural significance for Sikhs worldwide.
In its letter to Secretary Mullin, the organisation raised concerns related to First Amendment protections concerning religious neutrality and free exercise, as well as equal-protection principles applicable to the federal government under the Fifth Amendment. It also stressed the responsibility of federal agencies to ensure their communications do not promote or reinforce discrimination based on religion, race, ethnicity or national origin.
UNITED SIKHS has sought a public acknowledgment and apology, an independent civil-rights review of how the graphic was created, approved, published and removed, preservation of relevant records and public findings from the review.
It has also called for stronger pre-publication civil-rights safeguards covering communications involving race, religion, national origin, immigration status and religiously identifiable names or attire, including AI-generated or AI-altered content. Other demands include recurring religious-literacy and anti-bias training for relevant DHS personnel and contractors and consultations with Sikh civil-rights organisations.
The organisation warned that official stereotyping can have consequences beyond social media, pointing to experiences of bullying, discrimination, road rage and hate violence faced by Sikh Americans, including mistaken-identity attacks following September 11.
The correspondence was also copied to the DHS Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, DHS Office of Inspector General and the US Department of Justice Civil Rights Division. UNITED SIKHS has sought a written response identifying the official handling the matter and the timeline for corrective action.
The organisation emphasised that its appeal was not intended to interfere with lawful immigration enforcement or legitimate traffic-safety measures. Instead, it urged federal agencies to distinguish individual conduct from a person’s surname, perceived religion, ethnicity or national origin and to ensure that government communications uphold equal dignity and public trust.
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