NRI PULSE STAFF REPORT
The U.S. Department of Justice has filed a civil lawsuit seeking to revoke the U.S. citizenship of Gurmeet Singh, an Indian-origin taxicab driver, alleging that he unlawfully obtained naturalization by concealing material facts and providing false testimony during the citizenship process.
According to the complaint filed in federal court in New York, Singh became a U.S. citizen in October 2011. Federal authorities allege that several months earlier, in May 2011, he committed a violent sexual assault while working as a taxi driver. The Justice Department contends that Singh failed to disclose this conduct and falsely affirmed his eligibility for citizenship under oath, despite the requirement that applicants demonstrate “good moral character” during the statutory period preceding naturalization.
Court filings state that Singh was arrested in January 2012 and later convicted in New York state court of first-degree rape and second-degree kidnapping as a sexually motivated felony. He was sentenced in 2014 to 20 years in prison. The Justice Department argues that had the alleged conduct been disclosed, Singh would have been ineligible for citizenship at the time it was granted.
The case is being pursued as a civil denaturalization action under federal immigration law. If the government prevails, a judge could revoke Singh’s citizenship and cancel his naturalization certificate. The lawsuit does not itself impose criminal penalties, though it relies on findings from the earlier criminal case.
In announcing the filing, the Justice Department emphasized that the allegations have not yet been adjudicated in the denaturalization proceeding and that Singh will have the opportunity to contest the claims in federal court.
Legal experts note that denaturalization cases are relatively rare but are typically pursued when authorities believe citizenship was obtained through fraud, misrepresentation, or concealment of material facts. In recent months, the Justice Department has publicly highlighted several such cases as part of broader immigration enforcement efforts.
The case is expected to proceed through the U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of New York in the coming months.
Singh was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2014, and without evidence of an unexpected early release, he is almost certainly still serving that prison term.
*Cover photo created on Canva for representation only.
