Prince Harry has faced months of uncertainty over his US visa after a think tank sought to challenge its validity.
Prince Harry has received fresh backing from the US Government as a new document reveals Biden’s administration firmly believes his immigration papers should remain private.
In a document seen by Newsweek, the Government states any “speculation of impropriety” about Harry’s past drug use was unfounded”.
Conservative thinktank the Heritage Foundation has questioned the Department of Homeland Security’s decision to grant Harry a US visa after he admitted to taking illegal drugs in his memoir, Spare.
It sued the US government in an attempt to force the department to release Harry’s visa records to determine whether he had lied in his official paperwork. This is because a history of drug use would normally disqualify an applicant from being granted residence.
Heritage lost its case, with a judge ruling that his records should remain private. However, the think tank is attempting to overturn the ruling.
The Biden administration has now responded to the latest challenge, and appears to have doubled down on its handling of Harry’s move to the US.
A Government court filing, seen by Newsweek, read: “The evidence before the Court plainly sufficed to show that [Heritage’s] speculation of impropriety was unfounded.”
Prince Harry has received renewed support from the US Government, as a new document reveals that Biden’s administration firmly believes his immigration papers should remain confidential.
A document viewed by Newsweek states that any “speculation of impropriety” about Harry’s past drug use was unfounded.
The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, questioned the Department of Homeland Security’s decision to grant Harry a US visa after he confessed to using illegal drugs in his memoir, Spare. The think tank sued the US government in an attempt to force the department to release Harry’s visa records to determine whether he had lied on his official paperwork.
This is because a history of drug use would typically disqualify an applicant from being granted residence. However, the Heritage Foundation lost its case, with a judge ruling that his records should remain private.
Despite this, the think tank is trying to overturn the ruling. The Biden administration has now responded to the latest challenge and appears to have reinforced its handling of Harry’s move to the US.
A Government court filing, seen by Newsweek, reads: “The evidence before the Court plainly sufficed to show that [Heritage’s] speculation of impropriety was unfounded.”
This comes as Judge Carl J. Nichols reviewed Harry’s immigration records privately without revealing the contents, before closing the case in September.
“Following in camera review of certain records and associated declarations, the Court agrees that the Duke’s privacy interest outweighs any public interest, and therefore grants Defendant’s Motion for Summary Judgment.”
However, Mike Howell, the executive director of the think tank’s oversight project, told Newsweek that the case has become “more suspicious”. He said: “While our case is far from over as we explore appeal, I’d say that these very curious redactions point to something serious afoot.”
