Prince Harry’s deportation update has been backed by the Biden administration in new court documents.
The Duke of Sussex’s visa documents are at the centre of a bitter court battle since the duke admitted to taking illegal drugs in the UK and America in his book Spare.
Harry’s use of drugs could see the prince at risk of deportation if the royal admitted to using illegal substances before gaining a US visa.
The Heritage Foundation sued the Department of Homeland Security to try and obtain Harry’s visa records as a means of determining if he lied on his paperwork.
Prince Harry gets backed by Biden administration in new court filings
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But now, Biden administration lawyers have backed a statement from a US ambassador which suggested that the president would not deport Prince Harry.
Jane Hartley, America’s ambassador to the UK, was asked by Kay Burley on Sky News whether deportation was on the cards for the royal.
Hartley answered: “Well, it’s not going to happen in the Biden administration.”
The Heritage Foundation submitted these remarks as part of their case to get the Duke of Sussex’s visa records released.
The Duke of Sussex's US visa documents are at the centre of a bitter court battle
GettyIn a court filing recently obtained by Newsweek, the new court documents said: “[Heritage] argue that Jane Hartley, U.S. Ambassador to the Court of Saint James, revealed information about the Duke’s immigration status during an interview with Sky News.
“But Hartley's comment was simply a reaction to former President Donald Trump suggesting that, if he is elected to the presidency again, he would consider deporting the Duke.”
During an interview with GB News, Donald Trump previously hinted that he would deport Harry if elected as president again, stating: “We'll have to see if they know something about the drugs, and if he lied they'll have to take appropriate action.”
The filing continued: “Contrary to [Heritage's] representations, Hartley's comments did not reveal any non-public information regarding the Duke’s status, and Hartley did not state that that Duke would not be deported 'regardless of future circumstances.'
The Biden administration has so far refused to make Prince Harry's visa application public
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“If anything, Hartley's comment that the Duke would not be deported under the Biden administration is consistent [with] the position that Defendant has taken in this litigation, namely that the Duke's admission to and residence in the United States suggests no government impropriety.”
The Biden administration is consistently holding the position that nothing untoward took place and therefore Harry's documents do not need to be made public.
Under US law, foreign nationals who have admitted to taking drugs can be turned away at the border and refused a visa.
However, disclosure of previous drug use does not automatically mean immigrants will be banned but they are legally obliged to declare whether they have taken drugs on their visa application.