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According to a royal commentator, deporting Prince Harry from the United States would create a "circus" situation. This is because of the Duke of Sussex's close ties to the Royal Family.
According to Mirror, There is an ongoing legal battle over the release of Prince Harry's US visa documents. The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, is taking legal action against the Department of Homeland Security. They want officials to make Harry's visa records public.
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The organisation wants to see if Harry admitted to using illegal drugs before getting his US visa. In his memoir Spare, the prince said he had taken cocaine, magic mushrooms and cannabis.
Under US immigration law, lying to officials can result in penalties like deportation and being barred from citizenship. However, royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams told GB News that Harry's royal status means he will not actually be deported.
Fitzwilliams said: "There is the possibility of the documents being released and made public. The American ambassador has made clear that there will be no such move and in reality there was never going to be."
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"You could not deport a royal, it would be silly, and it would become a circus. People will speculate about it and that is why Harry was so unwise to discuss drugs in the way he did with the publicity surrounding Spare."
As reported by the Independent, a US immigration lawyer stated Harry may have received an "A-1 Head of State" visa. This is described as an "extremely special" type of visa.
Holders of an A-1 Head of State visa can enter the US without working as a royal or being a head of state. They are only vetted for issues like espionage and terrorism, not past drug use.
So Harry's admissions in Spare about taking illegal substances would likely not affect this type of visa. The Duke would have been able to obtain it due to his royal status.
The visa controversy comes as Harry has officially declared the US as his permanent residence. Documents filed by his company Travalyst Ltd listed his "usual residency" as the United States.
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This marks a major shift for Harry, who moved to California with wife Meghan in 2020 after stepping back from royal duties. Their departure, following the couple's criticism of the royals, caused a rift with the family.
Despite this, Fitzwilliams says deporting a royal would be impractical and turn into a "circus." He told GB News: "You could not deport a royal, it would be silly, and it would become a circus."
The commentator's remarks were in response to the Heritage Foundation's legal efforts to access Harry's visa records. The think tank argues the documents are of public interest given comments by a Biden official.
US Ambassador Jane Hartley stated Harry "will not be deported" under Biden, according to Newsweek. This prompted claims she confirmed he would avoid deportation "regardless of future circumstances."
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However, the Department of Homeland Security defended Hartley. They said her comment was a reaction to former President Trump suggesting he might deport Harry if re-elected.
With Harry's visa under scrutiny, his royal ties appear to be shielding him from deportation, at least for now. But the legal battle over the release of his records remains ongoing.
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