Who is Gurmeet Singh? All about Indian‑origin man whose US citizenship was revoked after rape conviction: What we know
The Justice Department on Monday announced that the US revoked Indian-origin man Gurmeet Singh’s citizenship after he was convicted of rape and kidnapping. Singh concealed the crimes during his naturalization process in 2011 and is serving a 20-year prison sentence.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Monday revoked the citizenship of Gurmeet Singh, an Indian-origin man convicted of rape.
According to a DOJ release, the US District Court for the Eastern District of New York entered judgment stripping Singh of his naturalization.
Who is Gurmeet Singh?
Singh, born in India, arrived in the US in February 1992 on a visitor visa, which allowed him to stay for six months. He overstayed for several years before gaining permanent residency in June 2000 through a family-sponsored immigrant visa petition.
What is case against Gurmeet Singh?
In May 2011, weeks before applying for US citizenship, Singh, then a taxi driver, assaulted a female passenger who had fallen asleep during her ride. Prosecutors said he drove her to a secluded spot, threatened her with a knife, bound and gagged her and raped her. The victim escaped and sought help at around dawn.
Now 55, Singh was convicted in 2014 of the violent sexual assault of a young female passenger as he drove her to her East Village apartment after picking her up from Williamsburg.
The DOJ said Singh concealed his crimes throughout his naturalization proceedings, leading to his becoming a US citizen on 19 October 2011. After naturalizing, Singh was convicted in New York of rape in the first degree and kidnapping in the second degree as a sexually motivated felony and sentenced to 20 years in prison.
He is currently serving his sentence at Shawangunk Correctional Facility, a maximum-security prison in Wallkill that also holds “Son of Sam” killer David Berkowitz, the New York Post reported.
Singh is scheduled for release in February 2029, after which the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will decide whether to deport him.
A Brooklyn federal judge, Nicholas Garaufis, issued an order last week requiring Singh to surrender his citizenship documents, including his naturalization certificate and US passport, by 16 September.
What did US officials and lawyers say about Gurmeet Singh's case?
Attorney General Todd Blanche said, "American citizenship is not a shield for criminals," and added, "Gurmeet Singh, a convicted rapist from India, is no longer a U.S. citizen. He concealed a rape and kidnapping during the naturalization process, and a federal court has now revoked his citizenship. This Department took this case across the finish line, and we will continue to move expeditiously on denaturalization referrals. Fraudulently obtained citizenship will not protect criminals from justice.”
Assistant Attorney General Brett A Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division said, "Singh unlawfully obtained the privileges of US citizenship by concealing horrible criminal acts." Shumate added that the DOJ will continue to protect the integrity of the citizenship process and hold accountable those who defraud our immigration system.
About the Author
Swati Gandhi is a digital journalist with over four years of experience, specialising in international and geopolitical issues. Her work focuses on foreign policy, global power shifts, and the political and economic forces shaping international relations, with a particular emphasis on how global developments affect India. She approaches journalism with a strong belief in context-driven reporting, aiming to break down complex global events into clear, accessible narratives for a wide readership.<br><br> Previously, Swati has worked at Business Standard, where she covered a range of beats including national affairs, politics, and business. This diverse newsroom experience helped her build a strong grounding in reporting, while also strengthening her ability to work across both breaking news and in-depth explanatory stories. Covering multiple beats early in her career has helped her be informed about her current work, allowing her to connect domestic developments with wider international trends.<br><br> At Live Mint, she focuses on international and geopolitical issues through a business and economic lens, examining how global political developments, foreign policy decisions, and power shifts impact markets, industries, and India’s strategic and economic interests.<br><br> She holds a Bachelor’s degree in English (Honours) from the University of Delhi and a Master’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University. Her academic training has shaped her emphasis on precision, analytical rigour, and clarity in writing. Her interests include global political economy and the intersection of geopolitics with business.<br><br> Outside work, Swati focuses on exploring her passion and love for food. From fancy cafes to street spots, Swati explores food like a true foodie.
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