Prince Harry's US visa documents could be released now Donald Trump is back in White House
The Duke of Sussex's US immigration documents have never been made public under the Biden government but that could all change with Donald Trump returning to the White House
by Tim Hanlon · The MirrorPrince Harry may find his immigration documents made public under Donald Trump as president.
Many people are waiting to see what moves Trump will make on a return to the White House both internationally and domestically while the Duke of Sussex could also be affected. Unlike the last US election in 2020, the Sussexes have largely stayed out of politics in this latest vote, endorsing neither Trump or his rival Kamala Harris.
But Trump has certainly not stayed quiet on his opinions on Harry and Meghan - making a series of damning statements about them on the campaign trail - even suggesting if he became president once more, the Duke of Sussex could be deported from the United States. And it appears as though a Trump presidency could mean the Heritage Foundation is more likely to achieve its aim of having Prince Harry's records revealed after its attempts were blocked by the Biden government.
Nile Gardiner of the Heritage Foundation’s Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom believes there is a “strong possibility” that they will be able to appeal the decision. Questions were raised over Harry’s visa after he admitted in his memoir to taking drugs recreationally which would have had to have been disclosed in an application and could lead to it being turned down, it is claimed.
The US Department of Homeland Security refused to disclose Harry’s files despite a Freedom of Information request. “I do think there's a strong possibility that this could happen. It's the president's prerogative,' Mr Gardiner told the Mail of a possible appeal.
“Also the new Homeland Security Secretary could order a review of Harry's immigration application. There are multiple things that could happen but it would be in the best interests of the American people if the Trump administration releases Prince Harry's records for public scrutiny and Harry should be held to account.”
He also believes that the current US government has “bent over backwards to protect Prince Harry and that protection is going to come to an end after the inauguration”. And he thinks that there will be growing calls among Republicans in Congress to have the records made public. He added: “Releasing Harry's immigration records would send a very strong message about applying the rule of law equally to everyone.”
Harry has long been berated by Trump since he and Meghan Markle took the dramatic decision to quit as working royals and move to the United States more than four years ago. Back in 2020 at the time of the last US election campaign between Trump and Joe Biden, the Sussexes appeared in a video urging Americans to 'vote against hate speech' and the ill-feeling between the couple and Trump seems to have continued since then.