An American judge has ordered the release of Prince Harry’s immigration files amid longstanding questions over whether he lied on his visa application to the United States about past drug use.
Prince Harry’s status in the U.S. may be in jeopardy as Judge Carl Nichols ruled that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) must release at least a redacted version of the Duke of Sussex’s visa application by Tuesday, the Daily Mail reported.
The conservative Heritage Foundation think tank had sued the DHS under the Biden administration after it had rejected a Freedom of Information request to publicly reveal the prince’s immigration files.
Heritage argued that it was in the public interest to know whether Harry had lied about his past drug use in order to gain entry to the U.S. after he abandoned his Royal duties in Britain in favour of money-making ventures with his wife in Hollywood.
Although having used illicit drugs in the past does not necessarily preclude one from gaining a visa to the United States, lying on a visa application can result in its termination.
In his ruling, Judge Nichols said: “The government has provided the court with its proposed redactions to the documents…those redactions appearing appropriate, the government is ORDERED to lodge on the docket the redacted versions of those documents no later than March 18, 2025.”
It remains to be seen if the redactions will include the section in which Harry was asked if he had ever taken illegal drugs.
Questions arose surrounding whether the Duke had lied about his drug use after he admitted in his 2023 memoir Spare to have previously used cocaine, marijuana, and magic mushrooms.
The Heritage Foundation had accused the Biden administration of “stonewalling” and an “unprecedented lack of transparency” by blocking the release of the woke prince’s immigration documents.
Last month, President Donald Trump said that he would not personally intervene to deport Harry from the United States, saying that “he’s got enough problems with his wife. She’s terrible.”
However, just because the president expressed reticence at becoming involved, it does not mean that the wayward prince is out of the woods, as immigration officials could still revoke his visa if he were found to have lied.
Yet, given that the judge in the case has said that he did not want to disclose Harry’s immigration status, there have been suggestions that the prince may have been granted an A-1 visa under the Biden administration. Such visas are typically only handed out to the heads of state of foreign governments.
Were Harry to have received an A-1 visa, whether he lied on his immigration forms would likely be meaningless due to the broad scope provided to those who qualify for the exclusive visa, such as not being eligible to face criminal charges in the United States.
If it is revealed that the prince was granted an A-1, it may raise questions as to why the Biden administration would have bent the rules for Harry, who has been relegated to fifth in line to the British throne and has no role in the civilian government of the UK.
Follow Kurt Zindulka on X: Follow @KurtZindulka or e-mail to: [email protected]
Read the full article here