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Who is Gurmeet Singh? Indian-origin man convicted of rape stripped of US citizenship
Gurmeet Singh, a former taxi driver convicted of sexual assault, has lost his U.S. citizenship after a federal ruling.
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An Indian-born taxi driver, sentenced to 20 years in prison for kidnapping and sexually assaulting a woman at knifepoint in 2011, has had his citizenship revoked, announced the Justice Department on Monday, NY Post reported.
The revocation of citizenship, or denaturalization, can solely occur through a ruling by a federal court. This process is intricate and is typically employed only in cases where an individual has deceived the authorities to obtain citizenship or has engaged in serious criminal activities.
Individuals who are born in the United States cannot have their citizenship revoked. This applies exclusively to those who are naturalized citizens.
Gurmeet Singh found guilty of rape
Gurmeet Singh, who is now 55 years old, was found guilty in 2014 of the brutal sexual assault on his young female passenger. She had fallen asleep during the ride from Williamsburg to her East Village apartment in May 2011, just weeks prior to his submission of a naturalization application.
As stated in a victim impact statement presented by prosecutors during Singh's sentencing, the woman awoke to discover the cab driver on top of her, brandishing a knife against her throat and questioning her desire to live.
Singh menaced the victim, restrained her with bindings and a gag, covered her eyes with a blindfold, stripped her of her clothing, and sexually assaulted her. Following this, she escaped from his taxi on foot and sought assistance from a passerby.
Here's what Justice Department said
The Justice Department stated that Singh "concealed these actions" during his naturalization process, ultimately becoming a US citizen on October 19, 2011.
According to Brett A. Shumate, the Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Civil Division, said: “Singh unlawfully obtained the privileges of U.S. citizenship by concealing horrible criminal acts," as per NY Post.
“The Department will continue to protect the integrity of the citizenship process and hold accountable those who defraud our immigration system."
Gurmeet Singh's case and arrival in US
Singh first arrived in the United States in February 1992 as a temporary visitor with a six-month visa. He remained in the country without legal authorization for several years until a visa petition submitted by his family enabled him to obtain permanent residency in June 2000.
He is presently detained at Shawangunk Correctional Facility located in Ulster County.
A directive issued last week by Brooklyn federal judge Nicholas Garaufis requires Singh to submit his citizenship documents, including his naturalization certificate and US passport, by September 16.
