U.S. officials have declined a request to make Prince Harry's visa file public, sparking controversy and accusations of a lack of transparency within the Biden administration. The Heritage

Foundation, a conservative think-tank, has vowed to take legal action to compel the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to disclose the documents, raising concerns about the Duke of Sussex's past drug use.

Last week, lawyers representing the Heritage Foundation sought a court injunction to expedite the DHS's response to their Freedom of Information Act request regarding Prince Harry's visa. Judge Carl Nichols refrained from issuing an injunction but urged the U.S. government to provide a clear answer to the think-tank by Tuesday.

However, in a letter shared by the Heritage Foundation's lead attorney, Samuel Dewey, DHS senior director Jimmy Wolfrey neither confirmed nor denied the existence of the Duke's papers on file. Wolfrey stated that, if records did exist, the privacy interests of the subject outweighed the public interest in disclosure.

The DHS's refusal to address the merits of releasing Prince Harry's visa application during the hearing has left the conservative think-tank with no choice but to pursue further legal avenues to secure the release of the files.

Nile Gardiner, a former aide to ex-British PM Margaret Thatcher and representative of the Heritage Foundation, criticized the Biden administration for its perceived lack of transparency. Gardiner expressed discontent with the DHS's efforts to obstruct the think-tank's Freedom of Information request and vowed to contest their stance.

The Heritage Foundation's inquiry aims to uncover how Prince Harry responded to questions regarding his past drug use, as disclosed in his recent memoir, "Spare." Admission of drug use can have implications for visa applications under U.S. law.

Prince Harry and his wife, the Duchess of Sussex, have established themselves as public figures in the United States since stepping back from the British Royal Family in 2020. The details contained in Prince Harry's visa application, according to the Heritage Foundation, could have potential ramifications for his future in the country.

While the disclosure of immigration documents about public figures is not unprecedented, the DHS's refusal to release Prince Harry's visa file has sparked concerns about transparency and accountability. The Heritage Foundation argues that the records could shed light on the Duke's eligibility to reside in the United States.

Efforts to obtain comments from the Department of Homeland Security and Prince Harry's spokesperson have been made but remain unanswered at the time of writing. Photo by DoD News Features, Wikimedia commons.