A judge has issued a directive to the US government, ordering the disclosure of Prince Harry’s visa application as part of an ongoing evaluation to determine its potential public release.
Judge Carl Nichols has instructed the Department for Homeland Security (DHS) to provide more comprehensive details regarding the contents of the Duke’s immigration papers. This move comes amidst a legal dispute over the documents’ release, triggered by revelations about Prince Harry’s admission of illegal drug use.
The DHS has been urged by Judge Nichols to articulate the specific harm that could arise from making the Duke’s visa application public. According to the Daily Mail, the agency has been instructed to outline the contents of the documents and justify any potential risks associated with their disclosure.
The legal battle originated from the Duke’s disclosure of his use of cannabis, cocaine, and magic mushrooms in his memoir, potentially violating US visa regulations. The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, has sought the release of Prince Harry’s immigration papers through a Freedom of Information request.
In a recent court order filed in Washington, Judge Nichols emphasized the necessity for an in-camera review of the contested records, indicating a private examination. He deemed the agency’s affidavits as insufficiently detailed for a meaningful assessment of exemption claims.
The DHS has been given until March 21 to provide a thorough account of the withheld records and articulate the potential harm that could arise from their public disclosure. Judge Nichols emphasized the need for an in-camera review to ascertain the applicability of claimed exemptions.
Prince Harry’s memoir, “Spare,” detailed his experimentation with psychedelic drugs, describing them as a means to perceive an alternate reality. The revelations have sparked questions regarding the accuracy of his visa application and whether he received preferential treatment from officials.
However, a DHS lawyer suggested in court last month that the disclosures in Prince Harry’s memoir may have been exaggerated to enhance book sales. John Bardo argued that the book does not constitute sworn testimony or conclusive evidence of the Duke’s drug use, emphasizing that statements in a book do not necessarily reflect reality.
