Leon Wildes, John Lennon’s immigration lawyer, dead at 90
Leon Wildes, the lawyer who prevented John Lennon from being deported by the FBI, has died aged 90.
Wildes passed away on January 8th at Lenox Hill Hospital in Manhattan. His son, Michael Wildes, an immigration attorney and New Jersey mayor, revealed his father had suffered a series of strokes before his death.
In a statement, Michael said: “Dad felt he effectively lived the American Dream for a kid from Olyphant, PA and spent his life facilitating the same experience for scores more. He was beloved by his family, was extraordinarily humble, and beloved by our Bar.”
Lennon and his wife, Yoko Ono, were at the centre of a three-year dispute with immigration officials from 1972 to 1975 after the FBI had attempted to remove the musician from the United States. The Beatles member had moved to New York City after his band had parted ways in 1970, but he became an enemy of the state due to his political beliefs.
Initially, Lennon had to seek a waiver to move to the US because of a previous marijuana conviction in England. However, it was his objection to the Vietnam War and the Nixon administration which caused him the most problems.
Through using the Freedom of Information Act, Wildes managed to prove that immigration officials had targeted Lennon for sinister reasons relating to his politics. In October 1975, a federal appeals court supported Wildes’ claims, allowing Lennon to stay in the US. They stated: “The courts will not condone selective deportation based upon secret political grounds.”
Wildes dedicated his life to justice, specialising in immigration law. After graduating from the New York University School of Law, he co-founded Wildes & Weinberg in 1960 and later became the president of the American Immigration Lawyers Association.
When he took on Lennon’s case, Wildes was unaware of their profiles as celebrities but understood it was an unfair case. The landmark lawsuit changed immigration law forever, making it easier for people with historic convictions to travel to the US.
In his lifetime, Wildes was married three times, most recently to Alice Goldberg Wildes. He leaves behind two children, eight grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.
