Donald Trump has stated he has no intention of deporting Prince Harry from the United States, despite a legal battle over his immigration status. The former US president remarked, “I don’t want to do that,” and added, “I’ll leave him alone. He’s got enough problems with his wife. She’s terrible.”
This comes in the wake of questions about why Harry was allowed entry into the US after he admitted to drug use in his memoir ‘Spare’.
The Heritage Foundation, a think tank, has initiated a legal case demanding that the US Government release records related to Harry’s visa application to ascertain if his past drug use was declared. The group suggests that Harry might have hidden illegal drug use, which should have barred him from obtaining a US visa.
They also speculate that Joe Biden may have shown Harry preferential treatment when he moved to California from the UK after stepping back from Royal duties. In the latest development of the two-year legal tussle, a US judge hinted at the potential release of some sealed documents from the Duke of Sussex’s visa application during a Washington DC hearing on Thursday.
The judge expressed a desire for “maximum disclosure as long as it doesn’t violate privacy” and did not rule out “not foreclosing the possibility that there might be some possible relief”. They requested that Trump’s Department of Homeland Security (DHS) submit redaction requests or justifications for “continued withholdings”, reports the Mirror.
Trump, who has the power to call for the release of documents as a former US president, previously cautioned that Harry might face repercussions if he was found to have lied about drug use on his US visa application. In his explosive autobiography ‘Spare’, Harry confesses to past consumption of cocaine, cannabis, and psychedelic mushrooms.
The Duke disclosed that cocaine “didn’t do anything for me”, but noted: “Marijuana is different, that actually really did help me.”
US visa forms explicitly inquire about an applicant’s history with drugs, which can negatively affect the outcome of their application. Habitual drug use may result in a denial, though immigration officials weigh this against various factors.
In recent media appearances, Harry has spoken fondly of his life in California with Meghan Markle and their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, even mentioning that he has considered applying for US citizenship. However, in September, Judge Carl Nichols decided that there wasn’t a compelling public interest in the release of the Duke’s immigration files, a decision the Heritage Foundation is now challenging.