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LeftInTX

(34,384 posts)
21. Diplomatic immunity isn't always 100%
Mon Apr 6, 2026, 11:02 AM
Monday
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devyani_Khobragade

On December 11, 2013, Devyani Khobragade, then the Deputy Consul General of the Consulate General of India in New York City, was charged by U.S. authorities with committing visa fraud and providing false statements in order to gain entry to the United States for Sangeeta Richard,[1] a woman of Indian nationality, for employment as a domestic worker for Khobragade in New York.[2] She was additionally charged with failing to pay the domestic worker a minimum wage.[3]

Khobragade was arrested the next day by U.S. federal law enforcement authorities,[4] subjected to a "strip search", presented to a judge, and released the same day.[5][6] Her arrest and treatment received much media attention particularly in India, and led to a diplomatic row between India and the United States.[7][8]

One week later, Khobragade was transferred by the government of India to the UN mission in New York, subject to clearance from the United States Department of State, which would entitle her to full diplomatic immunity.[9] Her former post entitled her only to consular immunity.

On January 8, 2014, the U.S. issued Khobragade the G-1 visa that granted her full diplomatic immunity.[10] Following this an unknown US State official is reported to have stated "The US requested waiver of immunity (of Devyani Khobragade). India denied that request. We then requested her departure, as per the standard procedure and the charges remain in place."[11] The next day, Khobragade left the United States by plane to India.[12] That same day she was indicted by a federal grand jury with visa fraud and making false statements.[12]

On March 12, 2014, Judge Shira Scheindlin ordered that all charges against Khobragade be dismissed because she had diplomatic immunity at the time of her indictment on visa fraud charges due to her posting to the United Nations prior to the indictment.[13][14] Two days later, Khobragade was re-indicted on the same charges.[15][16]

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He IS correct! MyOwnPeace Monday #1
Long before that Nasruddin Monday #18
It all started with Bush vs Gore DemocracyForever Monday #30
Pandering. He's engaging MAGA for mid-term support. Auggie Monday #2
Note this line malaise Monday #3
Yes - restrain him...somehow! yellow dahlia Monday #26
John Sauer will now wheel in an elementary school TV stand to show a Levin video underpants Monday #4
Oh yeah, that's real smart, MarineCombatEngineer Monday #5
Every time he does that, he shines a blinding spotlight on their corruption Miles Archer Monday #8
He wants Birthright Citizenship to be chelsea0011 Monday #6
Gratitude, trump style. And after all they've done for him. nt Buns_of_Fire Monday #7
He is threatening the justices. dalton99a Monday #9
Correct malaise Monday #11
This is exactly why the lifetime appointment thing wasn't such a bad idea Ocelot II Monday #10
Well said. If anyone would bother reading the reasoning behind the lifetime appointments, Lochloosa Monday #17
Thanks. Two well reasoned posts on this topic in a row stopdiggin Monday #27
Judge David Souter was a prime example. Lochloosa Monday #31
He is crazier than a shithouse rat. johnnyfins Monday #12
Can an undocumented person be charged johnnyfins Monday #13
Exactly. The "subject to the jurisdiction" bit was meant only to exclude children of foreign diplomats, Ocelot II Monday #16
and a couple of other exceptions, besides diplomats... thesquanderer Monday #20
Diplomatic immunity isn't always 100% LeftInTX Monday #21
Pretty much 99%, though, as this case suggests. Ocelot II Monday #23
a major sh*t show - in which the U.S. government gave ground (and lost face) at pretty much every juncture stopdiggin Monday #28
How about a president who doesn't care Amethyst Ring Monday #14
Since he got to pick 1/3 of the Justice's MustLoveBeagles Monday #15
Aw, he's just mad that he can't fire them via Executive Order or like Pam Bondi. no_hypocrisy Monday #19
I wouldn't be surprised if he tried LeftInTX Monday #22
He can ask Congress to pass tariffs. Why doesn't he do that? Renew Deal Monday #24
He is insane. Therefore ... Bmoboy Monday #25
What's it gonna take? yellow dahlia Monday #29
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