John Lennon was ordered to vacate the United States on March 23, 1973. The decision was handed down based on a previous drug arrest in the U.K. and Lennon was given 60 days notice before he was scheduled for deportation. Lennon and Yoko Ono had both filed requests for permanent residence in the United States as artists who were contributing to the country’s culture. And though Lennon’s visa was denied, Ono was permitted to stay. In the weeks before the ruling, it looked as though Lennon had caught a break in his case with the INS. The London Police officer that claimed to have found marijuana in Lennon’s apartment had come under fire for “conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.” Lennon had ardently held on to his claim that the marijuana was planted by the officer and, though his credibility was called into question, the INS would not reverse their decision.