Prince Harry's visa controversy reignites immigration debate
Prince Harry admitted some time ago to using drugs. According to the law, such an admission could block his chances of staying in the USA. As reported by the media, one organization is demanding to know the information that Meghan Markle’s husband provided on his visa application.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle left the British royal family a few years ago. The couple then moved to California. Recently, foreign media have been abuzz about the king's son moving to the USA, as in his book "Spare," he admitted that he used drugs in the past. This disclosure could significantly impact his immigration status in the USA, as individuals applying for temporary or permanent residence in the country must reveal their drug use history during the visa or residency application process.
Individuals identified as "drug abusers" are categorized as "inadmissible," but immigration authorities retain the discretion to make final decisions after considering various factors, according to the BBC portal.
A conservative think tank is fighting in court to disclose Prince Harry's visa documents to check if he admitted drug use while applying for his visa. There are also claims that he might have lied during his emigration to the USA. As foreign media remind us, some time ago, Donald Trump suggested that if he regains power, Prince Harry could be deported from the USA if he indeed provided false information on his visa form.
Did Prince Harry lie on his visa application to the USA?
The Heritage Foundation filed a request for information on this topic, but it was rejected based on the Freedom of Information Act. Since the prince no longer has support from the Biden administration, lawyers and members of the mentioned foundation hope that the new president will overturn the court's decision to keep the documents confidential.
According to the DailyMail report, Heritage's lawyer believes publishing Harry's immigration records will help the public understand how the Department operates and how its officials exercise their powers. Nile Gardiner, director of the Margaret Thatcher Centre for Freedom at Heritage, commented on the matter.
"I’ll be urging the president to release Prince Harry’s immigration records and the president does have that legal authority to do that. It’s important because this is an issue of the rule of law, transparency and accountability. No one should be above the law. Donald Trump is ushering in a new era of strict border control enforcement, and you know, Prince Harry should be held fully to account as he has admitted to extensive illegal drug use. My firm expectation is that action will be taken." - he said in an interview with the "New York Post".
