Prince Harry's US visa legal battle has escalated after a scathing statement was released following the latest decision in the case.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has refused to release immigration records regarding the Duke of Sussex.
The DHS refused to confirm whether they had records relating to Prince Harry requesting a waiver to enter the US.
The Heritage Foundation, which is fighting to get the Duke of Sussex's visa records released has issued a statement blasting the decision.
Nile Gardiner is the director of the Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom at The Heritage Foundation.
He tweeted following the DHS decision: "This week The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) refused to confirm or deny whether or not they had records relating to the Duke of Sussex requesting a waiver in order to lawfully enter the country.
"This response to The Heritage Foundation’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request shows an appalling lack of transparency by the Biden Administration.
"There are only three possible ways in which the Duke of Sussex could have entered the United States on a visa: (1) Prince Harry disclosed the full extent of his drug use and received a waiver; (2) DHS blatantly ignored the law; or (3) Prince Harry lied on oath.
"To say, as DHS argue, that merely acknowledging whether a waiver exists would violate the Duke of Sussex’s privacy is to say: (1) it is private whether he has a waiver, which he must have if he complied with the law given that he currently resides in the United States; (2) it is private whether the government blatantly ignored the law in Prince Harry’s case; or (3) that there is a privacy interest in perjury.
"This argument makes no sense, but is not surprising coming from the zero transparency Biden Administration.
"The Department of Homeland Security’s efforts to stonewall the Heritage Foundation’s Freedom of Information request are unacceptable, and we will be contesting their position.
"We expected to have to fight every step of this case in federal court and will continue to press for transparency and accountability for the American people.
"Ultimately the release of Prince Harry’s US immigration records will be decided in federal court by a federal judge.
"We are determined to prevail in a matter of clear public interest, on an important issue that matters to the American people: the application and enforcement of America’s immigration laws without fear or favour."
