A well-known American think tank wondered why the Duke was allowed to enter the US in 2020. Credit: AP
The US government is accused of obstructing Prince Harry's immigration records after he rejected a petition to speed up a freedom of information request from a conservative think tank seeking their release.
The Washington-based Heritage Foundation is suing the US government to release the Duke of Sussex's visa documents after he admitted to illegal drug use.
A federal judge convicted him last week. set a June 13 deadline for deciding whether to release the recordings.
In a letter to the Heritage Foundation shared by the think tank Wednesday night, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) notified the think tank that the request was denied, citing privacy considerations.
“As far as records exist, this office does not believe that the public interest in disclosure is sufficient to override the subject's interest in privacy,” wrote Jimmy Wolfrey, a senior Department of Homeland Security official.
Nile Gardiner , director of the Heritage Foundation's Margaret Thatcher Freedom Center, said the response “demonstrates a appalling lack of transparency on the part of the Biden administration” and vowed to keep fighting.
He added: “Ministry of the Interior Security forces' attempts to block the Heritage Foundation's freedom of information request are unacceptable and we will challenge their position.” RESPONSE TO THE MINISTRY OF NATIONAL SECURITY SERVICES REFUSES TO GIVE PRINCE HARRY IMMIGRATION
This week the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) refused to confirm or deny that they had records relating to the Duke of Sussex… pic.twitter.com/4LBPOvMONG
— Nile Gardiner (@NileGardiner) June 14, 2023
The case will be returned to federal court in Washington.
Heritage Foundation opened the case after the Duke of Sussex detailed his use of cocaine and marijuana. and psychedelic mushrooms in his Spare memoir.
The think tank says it's in the public interest to know why the Duke was allowed to enter the US in 2020 and why he was allowed to stay.
In court last week, lawyers for the Legacy Foundation questioned “whether DHS recognized the Duke of Sussex in light of the fact that he has publicly admitted to the essential elements of a number of drug-related offenses, both in the United States and abroad.”
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Federal law “generally makes such a person ineligible to enter the United States,” they argued.
Heritage Foundation filed a lawsuit under freedom of information laws, alleging that the information regarding Duke's visa application generated “tremendous public interest” as it involved equitable application and enforcement of America's immigration system.
Sources close to Duke indicated he was truthful in his application for a visa, suggesting that he reported drug use.
The Heritage Foundation's initial request was rejected by US Customs and Border Protection because the Duke “did not consent to the release of his information to the plaintiffs,” according to court documents.< /p>
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