Advancing Justice | AAJC Raises Alarm on DHS Efforts Targeting Immigrant Driver
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Sofia Costas scostas@advancingjustice-aajc.org
As we approach the 25th anniversary of 9/11, the Department of Homeland Security's recent social media campaign targeting so-called "illegal aliens on American roads" raises serious concerns about profiling, discrimination, and public safety.
Particularly troubling is that DHS promotional materials invoke stereotypes that many Sikh, South Asian, immigrant, Muslim, Arab, and Middle Eastern communities know all too well. The creation of a public hotline encouraging people to report drivers suspected of being undocumented or committing "CDL fraud" invites exactly the kind of profiling that civil rights advocates have spent years fighting. Most people have no way of knowing a driver's immigration status or licensing history, making such reports ripe for abuse based on appearance, accent, name, religion, ethnicity, or assumptions about where someone comes from.
Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC’s Sim Singh Attariwala, Director, Anti-Hate Program stated: "This is not just about immigrant truck drivers. When the government encourages people to report on others based on assumptions about who belongs, everyone on the road becomes more vulnerable to profiling and escalations of hate-fueled violence. Sikh Americans, Asian Americans, Latinos, Muslims, Arabs, and other communities that have long been targeted by bias may face the greatest impact. Congress must hold federal agencies accountable when they normalize suspicion instead of protecting civil rights and public safety."
We have seen where this kind of rhetoric can lead. In the aftermath of 9/11, Sikh Americans and many other communities experienced hate crimes, discrimination, and profiling fueled by fear and suspicion. Twenty-five years later, our nation should be learning from those mistakes, not repeating them. Anti-Sikh hate crimes continue to be on the rise and spiked following political rhetoric targeting Sikh truckers in 2025.
Congress must investigate DHS's promotion of initiatives that encourage profiling and examine whether the Department of Justice has effectively responded to discrimination, harassment, and hate targeting immigrant communities. Federal agencies should be held accountable when they normalize bias and suspicion instead of protecting civil rights and public safety.
Read more in our blog: Still Fighting the Same Dangerous Stereotypes