Documents concerning Prince Harry’s immigration status were released on Tuesday, providing a clearer picture of how the British royal was allowed to enter the U.S. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) made available court declarations from agents involved in Harry’s immigration case, as well as a closed-door hearing transcript related to a lawsuit filed by the Heritage Foundation. Despite heavy redactions in the documents, some experts believe Harry may have lied on his application. Heritage Foundation lawyer Samuel Dewey pointed out the frequent mentions of the State Department in the documents, which hint at how Harry managed the immigration process. Dewey speculated that Harry likely failed to disclose his past drug use on his visa application, possibly for a 0-1 visa, which is granted to individuals with “exceptional talent.”
Dewey argued that if Harry had admitted to drug use, that information would have been included in his DS-160 file sent to DHS, but it appears to have been withheld, suggesting dishonesty on his part. Dewey also noted that there might be more withheld information from the State Department, pointing to statements made by Judge Carl Nichols in a hearing. The Heritage Foundation had filed a Freedom of Information Act request for Harry’s records in 2023, questioning whether he received special treatment when he moved to the U.S. in 2020, particularly after Harry admitted to drug use in his memoir, Spare.
In his book, Harry acknowledged using cocaine as a teenager and noted that his history with drugs raised questions about the accuracy of his immigration documentation.
The Heritage Foundation now argues that the public deserves to see the full immigration records to determine whether Harry was truthful and whether he received preferential treatment.
