Judge orders DHS to respond to Prince Harry’s immigration request.

Conservative Group Investigating Prince Harry’s Visa Granted Despite Drug Use

A federal judge has ruled in favor of the Heritage Foundation, a conservative group investigating how Prince Harry was granted a visa to enter the United States despite his admitted drug use.

Judge Orders DHS to Respond to Request for Records

The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia has ordered the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to fully respond to the Heritage Foundation’s request for records related to Harry’s visa. The judge’s order does not compel the DHS to turn over the documents but to offer a procedural response to the request. Once that is cleared, the judge will examine the merits of the case.

Core of the Case: Whether DHS Complied with the Law

The Heritage Foundation is seeking to “compel the production of information” related to DHS’s decision to admit the Duke of Sussex into the United States “and to allow him to remain to date.” The core of the case is “whether DHS complied with the law,” according to Samuel Dewey, an attorney representing the Heritage Foundation.

Harry’s Past Drug Use May Be Considered Grounds to Deny a U.S. Visa Application

In his memoir Spare, released in January, Harry admits to his past use of marijuana, cocaine, and psychedelic mushrooms. The admission is significant because past drug use may be considered grounds to deny a U.S. visa application, according to the lawsuit brought by the Heritage Foundation.

Privacy Aspect of DHS’s Arguments “Extraordinarily Diminished”

Dewey argued that past case law precedent pertaining to successful Freedom of Information Act requests does not include specifications that media must be based in the U.S. He also mentioned a report from the Daily Mail that cited attorneys warning Harry’s past drug use could jeopardize his visa status. The privacy aspect of the DHS’s arguments has been “extraordinarily diminished” given Harry’s public remarks on his past drug use, according to Dewey.

What’s Next?

The judge has asked for the DHS’s response by June 13, and from there, he will issue a motion on how the case should proceed going forward. The hearing did not involve Harry specifically or any attorneys related to the duke.