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'He killed three people': US shares Indian-origin trucker's clip amid 'racist' deportation post row
While the Department of Homeland Security has now taken down the poster, it didn't come before immense backlash from lawmakers across various US states.
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Amid an ongoing controversy over the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)'s recent post on self-deportation, it posted a video of Harjinder Singh, an Indian-origin truck driver who was involved in a crash which killed three people in Florida.
The fresh post came on Thursday, hours after its “Mr Singh” post on self-deportation sparked backlash over being allegedly racist.
Several lawmakers in the United States also called out the Trump administration for promoting a discriminatory and anti-Indian, anti-Sikh sentiment in the country.
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 poster sparked a row online, with many calling it “racist."
While the Department of Homeland Security has now taken down the poster, the agency shared a video of Harjinder Singh, who had been accused of taking an illegal U-turn, resulting in a crash which killed three people in Florida.
US lawmakers condemn ‘racist’ poster
Rep Josh Harder from California called out the DHS and stated that no one deserves to be targeted because of their faith or name.
"Taking these posts down is not enough. Whoever allowed this to happen should be fired," the US rep said, adding that the poster attacked the Sikh community.
Rep Tom Suozzi from New York stated that the post by DHS was "dangerous and divisive."
"Sikhs are not the enemy of the United States. They are neighbors woven into the fabric of our communities, like mine on Long Island and in Queens. We must uplift our people, not divide them. We must do better," he wrote on X.
Rep Adam Smith from Washington also called out the Trump administration for its "dangerous and unacceptable poster."
"Hate crimes are rising, and the President should be bringing this country together, not stoking division," Smith wrote on X.
California's Governor Gavin Newsom also condemned the post, stating that the Trump government is "trafficking in racist propaganda."
Senator Adam Schiff, from California, also stated that the DHS's poster will cast suspicion on "millions of Americans based on their background and appearance."
"DHS’s grotesque advertising campaign is hateful, disgraceful, and un-American," Schiff added.
DHS hits back
While the post was taken down on social media, the Department of Homeland Security has hit back at certain lawmakers who condemned the attack.
Hitting out at Governor Newsom, the DHS accused the Democratic leader of granting Harjinder Singh a CDL license.
"Hey Gavin, YOU gave him his CDL, and then he killed three people with his tractor-trailer," the DHS wrote on X.
Despite the backlash, the DHS continues its self deportation calls on social media, with multiple posts on its X feed taking inspiration from the movie "Transformers."
