CHANDIGARH: Satvir Singh, an Indian origin-national truck driver hailing from Punjab who had entered United States illegally more than eight years ago was taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Boston during a targeted enforcement operation at a commercial vehicle inspection station in New Hillsborough along a national highway.
Singh was taken into custody by ICE Boston on September 11 at the inspection station in Hillsborough, where he was working as a truck driver involved in interstate commerce. He had a residence in New Jersey.
In a post on X, ICE said "Singh entered the US legally in 2017 but later violated the conditions of his admission by remaining in the country beyond the period allowed.’’
The arrest was made during targeted operations at the Hillsborough inspection site and the enforcement and Removal Operation (ERO) Boston will continue to keep our New England highways, streets, and communities safe, stated ICE.
The arrest came a day after the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) removed a controversial digital advertisement that targeted undocumented truck drivers. The AI generated, Transformers-style poster, published on X, depicted a brown bearded man with the tagline: “Get off our roads, you don’t know how to drive, Mr Singh.”
The campaign drew criticism from Indian American and Sikh advocacy groups, who called it racist propaganda. Democratic leaders, including California Governor Gavin Newsom and Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, also criticised the campaign.
The case comes less than two weeks after ICE Boston arrested another Indian national, Bankim Ramjibhai Aghera, in Keene, New Hampshire. Aghera had pending felony charges including aggravated sexual assault involving serious injury and sexual assault without consent.
ICE has stepped up public arrests since President Donald Trump returned to the White House in January 2025, as part of a mass deportation initiative. The agency’s budget and enforcement activities have expanded, with thousands of arrests carried out in public places, often sparking clashes with protesters.