Doubts about US visa application
Harry faces trouble over drug confession
06/07/2023, 01:45 am
While Harry is appearing as a witness in court in London, a legal dispute over his residence permit is brewing in the USA. Because the prince admitted drug use in his biography, a foundation is suing for access to his immigration declaration.
The influential conservative US think tank Heritage Foundation has asked a court in Washington for Prince Harry’s immigration papers to be handed over. In its lawsuit, which was filed in a district court, the think tank alleges that Harry has publicly admitted to several “drug offenses” both in the United States and abroad – and that US law “usually” bans people from entering the country for such offenses .
The background to the hearing are statements made by Harry in his recently published book “Reserve” that he has used illegal drugs on several occasions. The Heritage Foundation ordered a federal judge in the lawsuit to order the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which is responsible for immigration matters, to release the prince’s immigration records. DHS had twice previously refused to release the documents without Harry’s consent. Judge Carl Nichols has now asked the department to respond to the request by June 13.
The Heritage Foundation is particularly interested in Harry’s questionnaire that people must fill out before immigrating to the United States – which includes questions about drug use, among other things. In its lawsuit, the organization relies on the US Freedom of Information Act. The organization explained, among other things, that there was “great public and media interest” in the case.
Other celebrities were denied entry
Harry and his wife Meghan Markle, who is a US citizen, relocated to the US in January 2020 after retiring from British royal duties. In his book, which was published in January under the original English title “Spare”, Harry writes that he used marijuana, cocaine and psychedelic drugs, among other things. The Heritage Foundation pointed out that in recent years, foreign celebrities such as Argentine soccer star Diego Armando Maradona and British pop singer Amy Winehouse have been denied entry to the United States because of past drug use.
Harry himself did not appear in court at the Washington trial. He testified before a London court in proceedings against the British media group Mirror Group Newspapers for allegations of illegal information gathering. In it, Harry made serious allegations against his country’s tabloid media, which he accused, among other things, of an “invasion” into his life.