DHS Post Calling on Citizens to 'Report Foreign Invaders' Sparks Outrage on Social Media: 'How Authoritarian States Speak'

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is facing intense backlash after its official X account urged Americans to "report foreign invaders," sharing an ICE tip line alongside the message. The post came accompanied by another widely criticized message that read: "Remember who you are, American."

Critics accused DHS of promoting dehumanizing rhetoric and stoking division, particularly given that many undocumented migrants are asylum seekers or DACA recipients with no criminal record. Digital journalist Aaron Paarnas warned that the framing encourages an "us versus them" mentality and could fuel hostility toward immigrant communities:

Others compared the language used by the DHS account to "how authoritarian states speak:"

Several X users highlighted what they viewed as racist overtones in both posts:

It's not the first time that Homeland Security has used the "report all foreign invaders" line in social media. Back in June the agency shared a post which featured Uncle Sam urging Americans to "Report All Foreign Invaders" by calling the Immigration and Customs Enforcement tipline. The image, as Mother Jones revealed at the time, was first circulated by a white nationalist who has defended use of the n-word and shared material from an explicitly neo-Nazi X account.

DHS's recent social media strategy was also the subject of an in-depth investigation by The Guardian in late July, which revealed widespread use of imagery, AI-generated content, and slogans invoking "heritage" and "homeland."

One particular post which recevied massive condemnation was the use of a painting titled A Prayer for a New Life without permission, pairing it with the caption "Remember your Homeland's Heritage," which critics said promoted a selective, exclusionary view of American identity and erased the contributions of Indigenous, Black, and immigrant communities.