Judge Carl Nichols has directed the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to provide detailed and sensitive information pertaining to Prince Harry's immigration papers.
This request comes as the judge deliberates on whether these documents should be disclosed to the public. In a recent hearing in Washington, Judge Nichols expressed his dissatisfaction with the lack of detail in DHS's arguments, emphasizing the need for clarity.
He specifically asked for declarations from the agency responsible for immigration oversight, outlining the specific harm that could arise from revealing Prince Harry's visa application.
The development stems from a hearing where arguments were presented by both DHS and the Heritage Foundation, which advocates for the release of the documents. The Heritage Foundation had submitted a freedom of information request seeking the disclosure of Prince Harry's immigration paperwork. They raised concerns that Prince Harry may have misrepresented his drug use in his visa application, despite openly discussing it in his memoir and on a Netflix show.
Judge Nichols asserted that the Freedom of Information law empowers him to privately review contested records or declarations. This review process would aid him in determining if any exceptions preventing the public release of the documents were applicable. He stressed the importance of such a review when agency affidavits lack sufficient detail for meaningful reviews of exemption claims, especially when the dispute centers on the content of the documents.
Giving DHS until March 21st to submit detailed declarations, Judge Nichols emphasized that the review would be conducted in camera, meaning it would be done privately by the judge. In his memoir released last January and the Netflix series detailing the lives of the Sussexes, Prince Harry candidly discussed his past drug use, openly acknowledging his history with cocaine and marijuana.
Despite Prince Harry's transparency, the Heritage Foundation suggests discrepancies in his US Visa application, particularly regarding his responses to questions about drug use. The foundation argues that the documents in question are notably sensitive as they could reveal Harry's immigration status in the US. While DHS contends that Prince Harry, despite his celebrity status, retains a right to privacy, the Heritage Foundation asserts that his public disclosures about his private life waive such privacy rights.
During a recent hearing, DHS lawyers raised doubts about the veracity of Prince Harry's claims about drug use, suggesting they may have been included for commercial reasons rather than as sworn testimony. Former President Donald Trump has also weighed in on the matter, hinting that he might revoke Prince Harry's US residency if reelected, citing perceived betrayal against the queen and indicating that Prince Harry would be left to navigate his situation independently under a second Trump administration.
