Melania Trump faces a “potential security threat” after her mother Amalija Knavs' immigration papers were released through a lawsuit over Prince Harry's visa, Knavs' lawyer said Newsweek.

The conservative think tank Heritage Foundation is suing the Department of Homeland Security to force the release of the Duke of Sussex's immigration records.

As revealed by Newsweek On Wednesday, the Heritage Foundation released about 165 pages of Amalija Knavs' immigration papers, which the Department of Homeland Security released through a Freedom of Information Act request.

Michael Wildes, Knavs' immigration attorney, said Newsweek: “Mrs Trump is considering all options, we spoke yesterday.”

“The U.S. government has once again failed to pay sufficient attention to the safety of a former First Family.

“We find it mean and insensitive to drag a completely innocent party into the dispute she is having with Prince Harry.”

“Not to mention the potential security threat to the former First Lady and her surviving family members. I was there when she was tested and sworn in. It was a celebratory and meaningful moment.”

The documents included photocopies of Knavs' Slovenian passport, her naturalization certificate and her permanent residence card.

There are details of holiday destinations and a number of previous addresses, both in America and from her time in Slovenia.

Wildes said this Daily Mail: “Mrs. Trump is right to be upset,” adding, “This egregious and despicable breach of Ms. Knavs' immigration file – including highly sensitive medical information and addresses that impact the safety of her family – is an outlandish affront, and not just to Ms. Knavs.” and her family, including former first lady Melania Trump, but also on the concepts of confidentiality and privacy.

“That DHS released Ms. Knavs’ immigration file after just 11 days is further evidence of the inappropriateness of this request. How could the DOJ and Secret Service allow this breach?”

A letter from DHS to the Heritage Foundation, also disclosed in court filings, said: “We considered the foreseeable harm standard in reviewing the dataset and applied the FOIA exemptions consistent with statutory provisions and the Attorney General's guidance.” .”

“We have completed the review of all documents and identified 165 sites that respond to your request. Enclosed are 100 complete pages and 37 partially released pages. 28 pages are completely withheld.

“In our review of these pages, we determined that they do not contain any reasonably separable portions of non-exempt information.”

The documents were released as part of the conservative think tank's attempt to overturn a D.C. federal court judge's ruling that DHS had the authority to deny a FOIA request for Prince Harry's immigration records.

The Heritage Foundation has argued that Harry should have disclosed his past drug use to immigration officials, as described in his book Spare partin which he is described as using magic mushrooms, cocaine, cannabis and ayahuasca.

Lawyers for the organization said if Harry had disclosed his drug use he would have been refused a visa and the public had a right to know whether he received favorable treatment.

It's not clear why DHS deemed Knavs' papers suitable for release but not Prince Harry's, although it may have taken into account that Melania Trump's mother died in January.

Jack Royston is Newsweekis chief royal correspondent based in London. You can find him on X, formerly Twitter, at @jack_royston and continue reading his stories Newsweekis the Royals' Facebook page.

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