Obama's Aunt Zeituni Onyango: The System Took Advantage of Me

AP

President Obama's Aunt Zeituni Onyango lived in public housing as an illegal immigrant for a time because the "system" took advantage of her, she said in a recent interview.

"I didn't ask for it; they gave it to me," Onyango said in an interview with CBS affiliate WBZ-TV, scheduled to air tonight and Tuesday night.

"Ask your system," she continued, unapologetically, when asked about the situation. "I didn't create it or vote for it. Go and ask your system."

Onyango, the half-sister of Mr. Obama's late father, moved from Kenya to the United States in 2000. She first applied for asylum in 2002, citing violence in Kenya, according to the Associated Press. Onyango's request was rejected in 2004, but she stayed in the country, living in public housing in Boston. WBZ-TV reports that Onyango fell seriously ill but she did not have enough money to travel home after recovering.

When it was reported in 2008 that Onyango was possibly in the country illegally, Mr. Obama said he had no knowledge of her status. As a presidential candidate, Mr. Obama told CBS News' Katie Couric that he was not against the possible deportation of his aunt. "If she has violated laws, then those laws have to be obeyed," he said. "We are a nation of laws."

Onyango, however, told WBZ-TV, "If I come as an immigrant, you have the obligation to make me a citizen."

Onyango was granted asylum earlier this year.

For more of this interview, visit WBZ-TV.

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Stephanie Condon is a political reporter for CBSNews.com. You can read more of her posts here. Follow Hotsheet on Facebook and Twitter.

[mytwistedsister]

Just another deadbeat leach taking advantage of the system and then choosing to pretend it was forced on her AFTER she whined and ******* about her apartment being not up to her standards. Apparently she'd have us believe that we FORCED her to take her undeserved compensation.

I feel contempt for her, she is a leach and a whining one at that. It USED TO BE that illegal aliens got deported. NOT ANYMORE, they seem to have more going for them than I do.

[NMRKcbs]

Bite the hand that feeds??? Go home. I am sure a lot of us would pay your air fare. How can you rip off US taxpayers and then insult us because you succeeded in ripping us off. Please go home. Or, try to go to Australia.

[me75me]

Dear wereallimmigrant.
Are you using the race card for the president? you do know he won right? Also, as far as being immigrants, I know when my great grandparents came to the US they worked their a*ses off and no one handed them a damn thing. I cant have a baby because I can't afford more health insurance, a bigger apartment, a bigger food bill, etc.. but I obviously can afford to pay for his aunt and others like her. Pay for some lazy a** person to sit on the couch all day watching Jerry Springer, their crack, kids diapers, food, school supplies by working my fat white american a** off 40 hours a week. It's called TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE..not take all you want for as long as you want it assistance.

[mwbust]

If a "citizen" of this country scammed the system like this that "citizen" would be arrested and locked up. She should either be imprisoned or deported immediately if not sooner. With out the interference of our leader she would have been long gone.

[unclee8]

werallimmigrant is looking at things through Smoke colored glasses!Why doesn't this millionaire of a President not help his own family.
I guess he just wants to redistribute everyone else money but his. Typical Radical Liberal. I can't believe that you think that Communist Broadcasting System would ever make this president look bad, what a crock!

[werallimmigrant]

MR. OBAMA'S AUNT IS NOT THE FIRST AND THE ONLY ONE THAT DOESNT HAVE STATUS IN THIS COUNTRY AND NO ONE EVER THOUGHT TO DO A HEADLINE STORY ON IT BEFORE, BUT JUST BECAUSE SHE IS RELATED TO THE PRESIDENT YOU NEWS MEDIA PEOPLE WANTS TO MAKE A BIG DEAL OUT OF THE SITUATION NOW AND THAT IS VERY LOW AND DIRTY OF YOU PEOPLE,BUT THEN AGAIN WE SHOULD NOT EXPECT BETTER BECAUSE ANYTHING NEGATIVE THATS WHAT THE NEWS REPORT TO MAKE THE PRESIDENT OF THIS USA LOOK BAD. IF HIS SKIN TONE WAS A DIFFERENT COLOR(PINK)THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN A VERY DEAD STORY I CALL IT THE WAY I SEE IT. THE FORMER PRESIDENT RUN THIS COUNTRY IN THE GROUND AND A BROTHER GETS ELECTED AND THE BIAS PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY EXPECTS EVERY THING TO TURN AROUND OVERNIGHT.

[ronb1349]

Why do "WE" have an OBLIGATION to make you a citizen ? Don't you have the obligation to follow our laws and rules ? To not "steal" from us ? To not "abuse" our system ? To not wage fraud upon us ? You arrogant person ! I absolutely do not support the decision to "grant" you amnesty especially after you "refused" to leave when told to do so !

[wjm47]

What's even more outrageous is that there are MILLIONS of illegal immigrants being paid taxpayer dollars to stay in this country... not just this arrogant, thieving criminal. Work harder America - our uninvited guests want to be treated better.

[cherrybrown]

Rarely am I left with nothing to say but.......this one tops all.

I must say I had a similar reaction to omegatopher9.

[stormerF3]

Took advantage, may be we should have sent her on vacation with Charlie Rangel so they could lay out on the beach,at our Expense.