DHS Under Fire for Alarmingly Nationalist Recruitment Posters Amidst Controversial Immigration Crackdown

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently shared a recruitment poster on its social media platforms, featuring Uncle Sam at a crossroads. The image presents a stark dichotomy between “homeland” and “opportunity” on one path, and “invasion” and “cultural decline” on the other, with the caption asking, “Which way, America?”

The agency, responsible for managing the country’s immigration system, is employing this rhetoric to recruit new employees for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). With President Donald Trump’s policy bill infusing the department with additional funds, ICE aims to hire 10,000 more personnel to intensify its crackdown on illegal immigration.

However, experts in political communication and historians argue that these recruitment tactics are deeply nationalist, appealing to a specific White and Christian national identity. According to Nicholas J. Cull, a professor of communication at the University of Southern California, such messaging relies on emotional appeals, often using fear and nostalgia as key elements.

The caption of DHS’s Uncle Sam poster seems to reference “Which Way Western Man?,” a 1978 book by White nationalist William Gayley Simpson that is filled with antisemitic tropes and widely circulated among modern White supremacists.

In response, DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin stated that Uncle Sam represents America at a crossroads, pondering the future direction of the country. Other posts from the agency depict its employees as both public servants and enforcers of divine justice, with heavily armed men preparing for operations while Bible verses describe them as deliverers of divine vengeance. Citizens are urged to report “foreign invaders,” join ICE ranks, and “step into the breach.” Images of handcuffed migrants flanked by masked agents are interspersed with calls to “remember your Homeland’s Heritage” and “defend your culture!”

Democratic political strategist Anat Shenker-Osorio notes that such messaging aims to create a counterrevolution against perceived threats to American society.

McLaughlin stated that DHS honors artwork celebrating America’s heritage and history, taking pride in showcasing patriotic pieces. The agency’s posts often evoke a nostalgia for an America that was traditional, religious, and racially homogenous, as seen in its sharing of John Gast’s 1872 painting “American Progress,” which embodies the concept of manifest destiny and portrays Indigenous peoples fleeing before Anglo settlers.

On July 23, DHS posted a picture of this painting on social media with the caption, “A Heritage to be proud of, a Homeland worth Defending.” Critics argue that this use of historical artwork is laden with racial connotations and promotes divisive propaganda.

Some artists whose work has been used by the agency have asked DHS to stop using their creations without permission. For instance, Morgan Weistling, whose painting “A Prayer for a New Life” was shared by DHS without his consent, condemned this misuse of copyrighted material. The Thomas Kinkade family foundation also expressed its strong disapproval of the sentiment behind a DHS post featuring one of Kinkade’s paintings and has requested the agency to remove the post.

In addition, a band whose song was featured in a recruitment video posted by DHS on Instagram has demanded that the agency stop using their music. Despite receiving a cease and desist letter, the audio remains in the video as of this writing. The band is now exploring legal options to protect its copyrighted material.

If attention is indeed what DHS seeks with its new recruitment strategy, it seems to be achieving some success. Among federal agencies on social media, DHS consistently receives high engagement and job applications. The agency recently announced receiving over 100,000 applications in the past two weeks.