As the case involving Prince Harry’s immigration documents moves forward, the judge considers the next step

WASHINGTON (AP) – A federal judge is considering whether to release whether to release the next step in the documents that could be in trouble with Prince Harry’s past drug use or special treatment entering the country.

The case before U.S. District Court Judge Carl Nichols focused on Harry, son of the Duke of Sussex and King Charles III, and his wife, Meghan Markle, When he moved to Southern California in 2020. The Department of Homeland Security largely rejected its request to release the Harry Record. Harry is not a party in the lawsuit.

“We believe the American people have the right to know if Prince Harry has a true attitude toward his application,” said Nile Gardiner, head of the Margaret Thatcher Freedom Center at the Heritage Foundation.

Heritage believes that whether Harry received special treatment during the application process, especially after his 2023 memoir “Standby” reveals past drug use, there will be a “strong public interest.”

Harry said in “Standby” that he started cocaine several times since he was about 17 to “feel. It’s different.” He also admitted to using marijuana and psychedelic mushrooms.

The United States usually asks about the use of drugs on its visa application and is associated with chef Nigella Lawson, singer Amy Winehouse and model Kate Moss Travel links to celebrities including. Acknowledging past drug use does not necessarily prohibit people from entering or staying in the country, but untrue answers can have serious consequences.

“If he lies, it will get you deported,” said the attorney Samuel Dewey, who is the attorney for the estate, after the hearing. “People are usually deported for lying in immigration form.”

Dewey said it was also possible that Harry would have a real attitude toward previous use of drugs in his application and obtained an internal DHS waiver or some kind of diplomatic visa from the country. Both options are legal but will open the government and Harry to special treatment.

The hearing before Justice Nichols on Wednesday focused heavily on how to deal with three-person sworn statements by Department of Homeland Security officials, about why the agency was fighting a request for record. The Legal Legal team has not seen these statements yet and Nichols is considering releasing some or all of these statements to the Legal Foundation. Judge – Some, but not all, of the judges have been shown to Harry’s immigration records, and he also said he is also considering whether to ask for more records from the government and whether to call on external experts as consultants.

Nichols said he is seeking to balance revealing too much information in the DHS statement and editing it to the point of meaninglessness.

“To some extent, the modification will only leave a name or date,” he said.

Gardner said he also called for President Donald Trump, who made immigration security at the heart of his campaign, to end the case and simply order Harry’s paperwork to release.

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Associated Press writer Lindsay Whitehurst contributed to the report.