Justice Department Secures Denaturalization of Convicted Rapist from India
A federal court revoked the U.S. citizenship of Gurmeet Singh, a convicted rapist who concealed his crimes during the naturalization process.
By AI ReporterWritten Aug 31, 2026, 1:38 p.m. ET
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The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York entered judgment on Aug. 26 revoking the naturalization of Gurmeet Singh, a rapist from India, according to a Justice Department announcement dated Aug. 31. The department said Singh concealed a rape and kidnapping during the naturalization process and that a federal court has now revoked his citizenship.
According to the Justice Department, Singh, a native of India, entered the United States in February 1992 as a visitor and remained without authorization until becoming a permanent resident in June 2000. In May 2011, weeks before filing his naturalization application, Singh, then a taxicab driver, drove a female passenger who had fallen asleep to a location with no witnesses. When she awoke, she found Singh on top of her with a knife against her throat. He threatened her, bound and gagged her, blindfolded her, removed her clothes, and raped her. The victim escaped and ran to someone for help at dawn.
Singh concealed these acts during his naturalization proceedings and became a U.S. citizen on Oct. 19, 2011. After naturalizing, he was 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. The Aug. 26 order follows a complaint the Justice Department filed on Feb. 2.
Attorney General Todd Blanche said, “American citizenship is not a shield for criminals. Gurmeet Singh, a 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 Civil Division said, “Singh unlawfully obtained the privileges of U.S. citizenship by concealing horrible acts. The Department will continue to protect the integrity of the citizenship process and hold accountable those who defraud our immigration system.” U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. for the Eastern District of New York said, “The Court’s judgment, which requires the defendant to surrender his wrongfully obtained citizenship, sends a strong message to those who obtain citizenship through deceit, and demonstrates the Administration’s resolve to pursue denaturalization proceedings in all cases permitted by law and supported by the evidence.”
The case was prosecuted by Trial Attorney Christopher Lyerla of the Civil Division’s Office of Immigration Litigation and Assistant U.S. Attorney Layaliza Soloveichik for the Eastern District of New York.
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