Being a royalty does not imply perfection, and in actuality, being one gives you more access to illegal substances and even the freedom to do it without being arrested.
Prince Harry may lose his privilege to reside in the United States if he continues to speak openly about his previous drug usage. Some people feel that the British royal is in the clear unless he finds himself behind bars in the future. Former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani states, “An admission of drug use is usually grounds for inadmissibility.”
Because he admitted to using cocaine, mushrooms, and other substances, Prince Harry’s visa should have been refused or canceled. Rahmani, president of West Coast Trial Lawyers, explains there is no exception for royalties or recreational usage.
In his autobiography, “Spare,” published in January, the Duke of Sussex disclosed that he heavily drank, used cocaine, and used marijuana throughout his life. While Harry said he only used cocaine as a teenager, he has admitted to experimenting with psychedelics long into adulthood. During a meeting with trauma expert Gabor Maté earlier this month, the prince stated that hallucinogens are a fundamental aspect of his life.
He explained: “It was the cleaning of the windshield, the removal of life’s filters — these layers of filters — that brought me a sense of relaxation, relief, comfort, and a lightness that I had managed to hold back for a time. I began doing it for fun and then realized how beneficial it was for me.”
Attorney James Leonard argues with Rahmani that Harry’s status in the United States is a significant danger. He said that absent any criminal charge related to drugs or alcohol or any finding by a judicial authority that Prince Harry is a habitual drug user, which he is not.
Leonard explains that non-citizen drug users must provide immigration officials with a basis, such as a criminal act, to initiate an investigation into their status. The lawyer adds, “You’ve got to give them something that would trigger it, and revealing in a book that you experimented with drugs as a young man does not do it. Immigration will take no action based on that. We would have a different discussion if he were arrested or received a DWI.”
Sam Adair, an immigration attorney with over two decades of expertise, concurs with Leonard that it is unlikely that these admissions will pose a problem. “If there had been a conviction, obtaining a visa would have been significantly more difficult,” the executive partner at Graham Adair notes.
He continued: “This is not to say that drug use could not be a problem in the immigration process, but in this case, it is unlikely that this would be a problem.” I need clarification on the duke’s visa status in the United States. However, breaching the law could impede his obtaining a visa renewal or readmission. However, a drug used for recreational purposes that have not been subject to criminal investigation is unlikely to affect a person’s visa status.
However, according to Rahmani, the individual is not required to be convicted of a drug crime. He emphasizes, however, that a way for drug users to remain in the United States would be to obtain a waiver as evidence that their substance dependence is in remission.
A person is considered to be in remission after one year of sobriety,” argues Rahmani. “A waiver request requires a doctor to submit medical records, but it is unknown if Prince Harry made such a request because immigration files are confidential.”
Harry has not acknowledged that he has ever had significant drug problems or been required to enter rehab for substance-related concerns. It is unlikely that Harry’s past recreational drug usage was discussed during his visa interview, according to Adair. Thus, it was likely not an issue throughout his clearance process. The lawyer also said, “Drug use could be an issue if there were ever an arrest, charge, or conviction, but recreational use is unlikely to come up in the visa interview.
Leonard concurs, “If he had a criminal charge, it would undoubtedly affect his status and whether or not it is renewed. However, even stating that you engaged in such conduct would not impact his standing.”
Harry relocated to California in early 2020 with his wife, Meghan Markle, and their son Archie after leaving the royal family in January, but the duke has no plans to seek permanent US residency, citizenship, or a green card any time soon.