Washington : An Indian-origin man who became a United States citizen in 2011 has lost his naturalised citizenship after a federal court found that he concealed a rape and kidnapping during the naturalisation process.
Gurmeet Singh, 55, an India-born former taxi driver, was convicted in New York of first-degree rape and second-degree kidnapping as a sexually motivated felony. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison following the 2011 assault. The US Department of Justice announced that a federal court had revoked his naturalisation on August 26, 2026.
The case has drawn attention because Singh obtained US citizenship only months after the crime, despite the Justice Department saying he concealed the offence during the naturalisation proceedings.
What happened before Singh became a citizen?
Singh entered the United States in February 1992 as a visitor on a temporary stay that was supposed to last no more than six months.
According to the US Justice Department, he subsequently remained in the country without authorisation for several years. A family-based immigrant visa petition eventually enabled him to become a permanent resident in June 2000.
More than a decade later, Singh was working as a taxi driver in New York when he picked up a female passenger in May 2011.
The passenger fell asleep during the journey. When she awoke, prosecutors said she found Singh on top of her with a knife against her throat.
According to the Justice Department, Singh threatened, bound and gagged the woman before blindfolding her and sexually assaulting her. She later managed to escape from the taxi and seek help from a passer-by.
The assault occurred only weeks before Singh filed his application to become a US citizen.
He became a citizen months after the crime
Despite the timing of the offence, Singh continued with his naturalisation proceedings, according to federal authorities.
The Justice Department said he concealed the crime throughout the process and became a US citizen on October 19, 2011.
He was subsequently convicted in New York of first-degree rape and second-degree kidnapping as a sexually motivated felony and sentenced to 20 years in prison.
The federal government’s case for denaturalisation was based not simply on his later criminal conviction, but on the finding that he had concealed material information during the process through which he obtained citizenship.
Why did the court revoke his citizenship?
The US Justice Department filed a complaint seeking denaturalisation in February 2026.
The US District Court for the Eastern District of New York subsequently entered judgment revoking Singh’s naturalisation on August 26. The order requires him to surrender the citizenship documents he obtained through the naturalisation process.
Federal prosecutors argued that Singh was required to demonstrate good moral character during the statutory period before naturalisation. The Justice Department’s complaint states that the 2011 crimes occurred within that period and therefore affected his eligibility for citizenship.
The ruling means Singh is no longer a US citizen.
The US government says citizenship cannot protect fraud
US Attorney General Todd Blanche described the case as an example of the government’s efforts to address citizenship obtained through concealment or fraud.
The Justice Department said Singh had unlawfully obtained the benefits of US citizenship by concealing serious criminal conduct. Officials also said the case demonstrated the administration’s intention to pursue denaturalisation proceedings where permitted by law and supported by evidence.
The government has stressed that the action was connected to the alleged concealment during the naturalisation process.
This distinction is important because denaturalisation is a legal process requiring a federal court judgment rather than an administrative cancellation of citizenship without judicial involvement.
What happens to Singh now?
Singh is currently serving his 20-year prison sentence at Shawangunk Correctional Facility in New York.
According to reports, he is expected to complete his sentence in February 2029. After that, the Department of Homeland Security will determine whether he should be deported from the United States.
A federal court order has also required Singh to surrender his naturalisation certificate and US passport.
The case therefore does not mean that his prison sentence has been cancelled or replaced. The citizenship ruling is a separate legal consequence arising from the government’s finding that his naturalisation was obtained through concealment.
A case that highlights the importance of honesty
Singh’s case has also brought renewed attention to the scrutiny involved in the US naturalisation process.
Applicants for US citizenship are required to provide information about their background and meet statutory eligibility requirements. The Justice Department’s complaint specifically cited the requirement that an applicant demonstrate good moral character during the relevant period before naturalisation.
For immigrants and prospective citizens, the case serves as a reminder that information provided during immigration and naturalisation proceedings can have consequences years later if authorities determine that important facts were deliberately withheld.
The case also comes amid continuing debate in the United States over immigration enforcement and the legal status of foreign nationals.
News Karnataka has previously reported on cases involving Indian-origin residents navigating the US immigration system, including the detention of a long-term Indian-origin Green Card holder over an old offence.
The legal journey may not end with citizenship loss
Although Singh has now lost his naturalised citizenship, his legal situation is not necessarily over.
He remains imprisoned under his criminal conviction, and immigration authorities will consider his status after he completes his sentence.
The Justice Department has made clear that its denaturalisation action was based on the alleged concealment of the rape and kidnapping during the citizenship process. The federal court’s judgment has now removed the citizenship that Singh obtained in 2011.
The case illustrates how a serious criminal conviction, combined with alleged concealment during naturalisation, can have consequences long after citizenship has been granted.
It also sends a clear message about the importance of providing truthful information during immigration proceedings, particularly when applying for one of the most significant legal statuses available to an immigrant in the United States.