Having greatly agitated the powers-that-be as vocal and influential critics of the Vietnam War, in 1972 the Nixon administration, citing a 1968 conviction of cannabis possession as a previously-overlooked violation of immigration law, began deportation proceedings against John Lennon and his partner-in-peace, Yoko Ono. Naturally, an organised campaign to quash the attempt soon gathered speed, and before long a barrage of supportive letters – written by a plethora of people, famous or otherwise – landed at the doorstep of the U. S. Immigration and Naturalization Service.

Below: a handwritten plea, from Bob Dylan.

Transcript follows. Image courtesy of historian Jon Wiener, author of the utterly fascinating book, Gimme Some Truth: The John Lennon FBI Files.

Transcript

JUSTICE for John & Yoko! John and Yoko add a great voice and drive to this country’s so called ART INSTITUTION / They inspire and transcend and stimulate and by doing so, only can help others to see pure light and in doing that, put an end to this mild dull taste of petty commercialism which is being passed off as Artist Art by the overpowering mass-media. Hurray for John & Yoko. Let them stay and live here and breathe. The country’s got plenty of room and space. Let John and Yoko stay! Bob Dylan