DHS Removes ‘Optimus Prime’ Post After Hasbro Protest and Accusations of Racist Targeting

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) deleted a social-media image that mimicked a Transformers movie poster—featuring the likeness of Optimus Prime—after the graphic prompted accusations that it racially targeted a Sikh man and promoted xenophobic messaging.

The image, shared on September 9, showed Optimus Prime wearing a DHS badge alongside a depiction of Harjinder Singh and the New York City skyline. Prominent text in the graphic read "Self-deport or find out," with additional lines stating "America for Americans" and "Get off our roads, you don't know how to drive Mr. Singh." The post was removed following swift backlash from lawmakers, civil-rights groups and the toy company Hasbro.

Department Response and Timeline

A DHS spokesperson defended the department's stance in an exchange with Newsweek, calling the outlet's coverage "nonsensical drivel" and urging more rigorous reporting. The spokesperson added, "Freedom from illegal alien crime is the right of all Americans." DHS also posted a second image styled like a movie poster with the caption "Transformers Age of Deportation," which remained visible at the time of reporting.

"What nonsensical drivel. Perhaps Newsweek should spend the same amount of time researching their stories as they do wringing their hands in faux outrage." — DHS spokesperson (to Newsweek)

Public and Official Reactions

Lawmakers condemned the imagery. Senator Adam Schiff called the campaign "hateful, disgraceful and un-American." Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi warned that demonizing the name "Singh," which is shared by more than 160,000 people in the United States, "fuels xenophobia and casts suspicion on an entire community." Representative Grace Meng described the post as "blatant racism."

Hasbro, the owner of the Transformers franchise, said the character likenesses were used without permission and "do not represent the Transformers brand or Hasbro," emphasizing that Optimus Prime is associated with "humility, leadership, compassion and justice."

Background: The Crash and Legal Proceedings

The image referenced a fatal traffic crash on August 12, 2025, on the Florida Turnpike in which Harjinder Singh, an Indian-born truck driver, made a U-turn and collided with a minivan, killing three people. According to DHS statements quoted to reporters, Singh entered the U.S. illegally in 2018 and later obtained a commercial driver's license in California. Singh pleaded not guilty to vehicular homicide and manslaughter charges and remained in custody after being denied bond.

Following the crash, Secretary of State Marco Rubio paused the issuance of work visas for foreign applicants seeking to become commercial truck drivers. The BBC reported that harassment of Sikh drivers increased in the wake of the collision.

Context and Related Controversies

Critics say the DHS image risks amplifying xenophobia and unfairly targeting a religious minority; DHS officials say their messaging aims to highlight crimes by undocumented immigrants. The incident adds to a string of social-media controversies involving White House and DHS accounts during President Donald Trump's second term, including complaints about unauthorized use of copyrighted songs and imagery and posts that critics said echoed extremist language.

Previous examples cited by critics include deleted posts that used songs by pop artists without consent and an edited photograph of the U.S. men's national soccer team that appeared to insert the U.S.-Mexico border wall. A White House online arcade game titled "Build the Wall" was removed after a copyright complaint from The Tetris Company.

Lawmakers and civil-rights advocates have demanded explanations and accountability from DHS, while Hasbro has asked that its characters not be used in government campaigns.