STATEMENT: Umeed Condemns DHS Rhetoric Targeting Sikh Americans

Singh is not a punchline. Sikh Michiganders are not a target.

Umeed strongly condemns the recent Department of Homeland Security post depicting a man identified as “Mr. Singh” alongside the words “self-deport or find out” and “get off our roads.”

Using the name Singh, carried proudly by Sikh men and boys around the world, in this way turns an entire community into a stereotype. For Sikh Americans, especially as we approach the anniversary of 9/11 and remember the hate and violence that followed, this imagery is not harmless.

Here in Michigan, Sikhs are our neighbors, physicians, truck drivers, small business owners, educators, public servants, students, and community leaders. We contribute to this state every day and deserve the same dignity and protection as every other Michigander.

Immigration enforcement and transportation safety are legitimate responsibilities of government. Profiling people because of their name, appearance, faith, or perceived background is not.

We call on Michigan’s elected leaders and congressional delegation to reject anti Sikh rhetoric and oppose policies or messaging that encourage racial or religious profiling.

Michigan should be a place where every community can belong, contribute, and live without being made a political target.

We stand with Sikh truckers. We stand with Sikh families. We stand against profiling.