The row surrounding Prince Harry’s US visa application has reignited after Joe Biden’s administration was accused of “stonewalling” by not disclosing vital information.
The Heritage Foundation has been trying to uncover whether the Duke of Sussex made false statements about his drug use in his immigration paperwork – a claim he admitted to in his memoir, Spare.
Concerns have been raised that Harry may have provided inaccurate information on his entry forms. If proven, this could lead to him having to leave the USA, having only moved there in 2020.
The Washsington-based Heritage Foundation has twice used the Freedom of Information law in the country in an attempt to release relevant documents from the Department of Homeland Security. But this has so far proved unsuccessful.
Nile Gardiner, the director of the Heritage Foundation’s Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom who filed the Freedom of Information application, is furious.
He told Daily Express US: “This is just continued stonewalling from the Biden administration. They have no interest in releasing the documents that are being requested.
“Regardless of all of the stonewalling from the Biden administration, this matter will be settled in a federal court.
“It is my view that we have a very good chance of winning because this is all about transparency and the enforcement of US immigration law.”
In a further furious attack, Mr Gardiner continued: “The stonewalling from the Department of Homeland Security is completely unacceptable.
The Biden administration is acting in a disgraceful fashion here without any regard for transparency and accountability to the American people.
“We believe we will prevail in this case as it is an important issue about enforcing US immigration law.”
The DHS had initially rejected the Heritage Foundation’s application for the immigration documents to be released, leading the think-tank to file a lawsuit in a Washington court to challenge the decision.
The US Government claims the organization’s arguments are just “inflammatory allegations” but the Heritage Foundation insists these claims are just “an effort to distract from the record”.
The DHS has now extended the timetable around the issue, with motions now expected to be filed in November, followed by a decision from a federal judge.
In a second attempt, the Heritage Foundation tried to get the information released but this was again refused, with the DHS confirming the existence of “entry and exit records” for Prince Harry.
But the US Government department declined to provide further details, insisting that despite being a public figure, the Duke of Sussex should not forfeit all rights to privacy.
The DHS argued releasing such documents would be an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy.
The department said: DHS said: “Information that may have subjected a traveler to additional scrutiny at one time has the possibility of being considered untimely and irrelevant at a later date.
“Given these facts, one person’s CBP entry and exit records, even a famous person’s, is insufficient evidence to undermine public confidence in CBP and its application of equal justice under the law.”
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