Obama's Aunt Allegedly In U.S. Illegally

Candidate Says He Didn't Know Of Relative's Status After AP Reports Kenyan Aunt Was Told To Leave Four Years Ago

(AP)  Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama said Saturday he didn't know his aunt was living in the United States illegally and believes that laws covering the situation should be followed.

The Associated Press found that Obama's aunt had been instructed to leave the country four years ago by an immigration judge who rejected her request for asylum from her native Kenya. The woman, Zeituni Onyango (zay-TUHN on-YANG-oh), is living in public housing in Boston and is the half-sister of Obama's late father.

A statement given to the AP by Obama's campaign said, "Senator Obama has no knowledge of her status but obviously believes that any and all appropriate laws be followed." Traveling with Obama in Nevada, campaign strategist David Axelrod declined to elaborate on the statement, but said: "I think people are suspicious about stories that surface in the last 72 hours of a national campaign."

An adviser to Republican John McCain's campaign, Mark Salter, said he had no comment on the reports about Obama's relative. "It's a family matter," Salter said.

The campaign said it was returning $260 that Onyango had contributed in small increments to Obama's presidential bid over several months. Federal election law prohibits foreigners from making political donations. Onyango listed her employer as the Boston Housing Authority and last gave $5 on Sept. 19.

Onyango, 56, is part of Obama's large paternal family, with many related to him by blood whom he never knew growing up.

Obama's father, Barack Obama Sr., left the future presidential nominee when the boy was 2, and they reunited only once — for a monthlong visit when Obama was 10. The elder Obama lived most of his life in Kenya, where he fathered seven other children with three other wives. He died in a car crash in 1982.

Obama was raised for the most part by his mother and her parents in Hawaii. He first met his father's side of the family when he traveled to Africa 20 years ago. He referred to Onyango as "Auntie Zeituni" when describing the trip in his memoir, saying she was "a proud woman."

Obama's campaign said he had seen her a few times since that meeting, beginning with a return trip to Kenya with his future wife, Michelle, in 1992. Onyango visited the family in Chicago on a tourist visa at Obama's invitation about nine years ago, the campaign said, stopping to visit friends on the East Coast before returning to Kenya.

She attended Obama's swearing-in to the U.S. Senate in 2004, but campaign officials said Obama provided no assistance in getting her a tourist visa and doesn't know the details of her stay. The campaign said he last heard from her about two years ago when she called saying she was in Boston, but he did not see her there.

Onyango's refusal to leave the country would represent an administrative, noncriminal violation of immigration law, meaning such cases are handled outside the criminal court system. Estimates vary, but many experts believe there are more than 10 million such immigrants in the U.S.

The AP could not immediately reach Onyango for comment. When a reporter went to her home Friday night, no one answered the door. A neighbor said she was often not home on weekends. Onyango did not immediately return telephone and written messages left at her home.

Onyango was instructed to leave the country by a U.S. immigration judge who denied her asylum request, a person familiar with the matter told the AP. This person spoke on condition of anonymity because no one was authorized to discuss Onyango's case.

It was unclear why her request was rejected in 2004. A spokeswoman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Kelly Nantel, said the government does not comment on an individual's citizenship status or immigration case.

Information about the deportation case was disclosed and confirmed by two separate sources, one a federal law enforcement official. The information they made available is known to officials in the federal government, but the AP could not establish whether anyone at a political level in the Bush administration or in the McCain campaign had been involved in its release.

Onyango's case — coming to light just days before the presidential election — led to an unusual nationwide directive within Immigrations and Customs Enforcement requiring that any deportations before Tuesday's election be approved at least at the level of the agency's regional directors, the U.S. law enforcement official told the AP.

The directive suggests that the administration is sensitive to the political implications of Onyango's case coming to light so close to the election.

The East African nation has been fractured by violence in recent years, including a period of two months of bloodshed after December 2007 that killed 1,500 people.

In Boston, Lydia Agro, communications director for the Housing Authority, said Onyango had been screened and approved for public housing as an "eligible non-citizen" when she moved in in 2003. She said the authority is not notified of deportation orders and did not know Onyango was related to Obama until two days ago.

[m8143]

Illegal''s illegal no matter what... LEAVE!!!

[tucano2]

Didn''t know - yeah, right.

[lordmi]

sukitobamy - I am sure - You will shut up, when he will be a President.

And I am so glad - One day left and I will NEVER see Idiot McCain and Stupid Palin. Never again! What an excitement!!!!!!!!

[lordmi]

Than what?

Maybe it is also acary, that sometimes he wears tie in blue color?

I am sick of GOP''s idiots looking for something.
You, everyone, come into the mirrow and look deep into Your soul - is it so very clear there, that You want to judge this guy.
Come On, all McCain''s dirty tricks and false is so much more, than some not close aunt.

Should she report him about her status???

By the way, what also we can see - he was NOT asked to use his connections to do anything about that.
Got it?

So than what?
Talk issues, that''s all that matters.

[lamig2]

I don''t believe that this issue is important to the election. I think that the fact that he wants me, s struggling single mother, to help support her through my taxes when he is rich is important. Public housing is largely paid for by the federal government.

But what is more important than this is:
When an individual like Joe the plumber questions Obama, the press sets out to destroy him, and the government starts to investigate him. Think about it! This should scare the pants off you!

The only press people who were not ardent Obama supporters were kicked off his campaign plane. The take on this seems to be that it was punishment. To me the issue is suppression of opposing views. THIS IS CENSORSHIP. Is this what we are to expect from an Obama presidency, opposing views being denied access? This should scare the pants off you!

How secretive Obama is about his past. Why does he refuse to release his college records? The only thing that can explain this is that he wants to hide something. This should at least give people pause.

I honestly think that one of the 1st things that will happen under an Obama presidency, is that the "fairness doctrine" will be reinstated. This is the doctrine that was designed to suppress free speech under the guise of promoting it. Thank God for the internet!
Please stop and think of what you are voting for.

your kidding right he didnt know? sorry dont buy it. just like i dont buy any of his ***. WAKE UP FELLOW AMERICANS THIS GUY IS NOT WHAT YOU THINK HE IS...

[ghs4u]

Why when 1 thing comes up about one person do several people argue what about someone else? It is a shame we are picking a president from two people that have shady backgrounds - vote for the immoral or vote for the criminal associated. Either way problems will remain and people will complain. The illegal aunt should be removed as she was ordered to do 4 years ago. Obama said laws should be followed. No special privileges for associations with famous people. The article has no bearing on my vote.

[far_point200]

Obama''s top 5 lies this week:

5) I didn''t know my Auntie was an illegal alien.

4) Auntie''s contributions to my campaign are the only illegal foreign contributions I recieved.

3) I''ll give tax relief to anybody making $250,000 or less.

2) I hardly know Bill Ayres?

1) I''m a Christian.

[shebapic5]

to mydogdylan6 I bet you don''t enjoy paying taxes for people who don''t belong here all I am stating is that she is not the only one and I know you andthe person who investigated her status is as on point as my observation. It''s funny that this question of her status is just coming out, I hope that helps our economic status. I sort of figured that a number of illegal immigrants are amongst us because our local tv station did a news story on the situation due to the emplyoers that hire them. Not all people in America are lazy as the immigrants state. Sorry to neglect this pertinent info w/ my first comment. peace

Anyone who believes that a state is responsible for such a horrendous act has a deficiency with the "grown up" though process....(and I''''m not even from Texas!)
Posted by scotch41
--
Suggest you examine the concept of rhetorical synecdoche before engaging in "grown up" though(t) processes. Sorry you aren''t from Texas, it would make it easier to belittle you. Let us not forget that it was Texas that gave us the assassination of JFK, the murder of Lee Harvey Oswald by Jack Ruby, LBJ and his Vietnam gooberfest, David Karesch and the Waco antecedent to the Oklahoma City bombing by Tim McVeigh, George W. Bush and his eight years of drivel, as well as uncensused minorities indiscriminately hung on temporary and mobile gallows, displayed on fence posts like dried catfish heads, drug behind, underneath and between 2000 pound wishbone breakers, and all in the name of being or driving "friendly." Are there other states that have a similar history? Of course, it''s just that they don''t brag about it or, at the very least, tell people they shouldn''t whine about it.

[mydogdylan6]

The last time I rode down the streets of my city I must have passed about twenty five to thirty cars containing illegal unlicensed immigrants that do not belong here.
-------------------
And you know they are illegal how? By "riding down the street"? Yo apparently checked their licenses? Got it.

Your assumption that anyone who appears foreign is illegal clearly demonstates your predjudice and bias.

[mydogdylan6]

Tex (whichever derivation of "Tex" it is this time)is back again ranting about the "secret" Obama. How surprising.

I''ve enjoyed watching how Obama''s numbers go up everytime another one of the inuendo based and factless attacks comes out. Americans have learned alot about smear tactics in 8 years.

I would stay clear of Tex tuesday night. Because at 10pm EST, they are going to announce Barack Obama is the 44th President of the United States.

Tex is likely to explode.

[thefan615]

Anyone who believes that a state is responsible for such a horrendous act has a deficiency with the "grown up" though process....(and I''''m not even from Texas!)


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Posted by scotch41 at 10:21 AM : Nov 02, 2008

First of all texas is one of the most racist states in this country, and second i was talking to texlowe and not you and if you are the idiot, then i meant what i said.

there is nothing wrong with us disagreeing but everything you said sinces to be stupid and makes you sound retarted. so just as i stated above, leave the grown up talk to people who use their brain and by the way on your next post in response to mine, why dont type in the definiton of communism and why dont you try and educate us on how Obamas plan is leaning us that route

[shebapic5]

The last time I rode down the streets of my city I must have passed about twenty five to thirty cars containing illegal unlicensed immigrants that do not belong here. On top of that their children have brand new backpacks going to schools paid w/ my tax dollars.Most of all they are reproducing at an alarming rate who''s paying for that? So if we are worried about Obama''s aunt we have alot of people in line w/ her!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[billh971]

The country has an UNGODLY defecit. We are in 2 wars! Unemployment at an all time high? Banks are getting billions of dollars from the government? McCain has fliped floped more than John Kerrry! Do you remeber the Keating 5 banking scandle? How about G Gordon Liddy giving money to McCain? Lets face it. The most corrupt politicians of the last 50 years were Richard Nixon and George Bush? MORALS? Lied to us about Sadam''s uranium? The boat is sinking people so lets keep on heading toward the iceberg Cap''n McCain! when you have nothing to run no policies go on sling mud and say the other guy is a Communist. Vote for tail gunner Joe McCarthy the Republican!

[scotch41-2009]

Am sure you are from Texas, so until your state stops dragging black people behinde their truck then we would rather just leave you out of grown up conversations.

Posted by thefan615 at 10:07 AM : Nov 02, 2008
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Anyone who believes that a state is responsible for such a horrendous act has a deficiency with the "grown up" though process....(and I''m not even from Texas!)

[thefan615]

Funding terrorist and anti-American organizations...

Collaborating with a domestic terrorist to brainwash Chicago youth with bomb bomb America ideology...

Sitting in a racist whack job church listening to Rev. Wrong gang bang white America for 20 years...

Scamming three senate seats and a nomination...

Lying to the public while looking you straight in the camera....about your ancestry, your legislative prowess, not knowing your close associates, your proposals....

Proposing re-distribution of wealth which is a politically correct buzz word for STEALING...

Is THIS THE MORAL FIBER YOU WANT IN THIS COUNTRY?


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Posted by FromTexwLove at 09:12 AM : Nov 02, 2008


Am sure you are from Texas, so until your state stops dragging black people behinde their truck then we would rather just leave you out of grown up conversations.

[thefan615]

The old racism gig is really starting to be a bore! Using it as your excuse for my opposition to a candidate with a communist ideology and who politics are a reflection of ghetto politics in Chicago is a pathetic attempt at a guilt trip that I am not going to take with you! Sorry!


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Posted by FromTexwLove at 09:08 AM : Nov 02, 2008



if you read my post with your eyes open then would get what i said. i said if you dont want to vote for Obama then dont. but poeple on here call him a muslim, or he has an illegal status, or people yelling kill him at maccain rallies. thats what i said about people being racist. so please read my post before you start sending stupid reponses.

Second, please go read up on communism before saying his ideology is going that way. when i hear things like that, it makes me and most others with an iq over 120 reliaze that most of you people saying that arent educated or if you are just choose to ignore using your brain. but once again Obama is the candidate putting more time into education while mccain would rather spend all our money on a war that we shouldnt have been in, in the first place.

[opedanderson]

Does anyone, even Obama fans, believe that he didnt know about her status? It never came up in any discussions? Not one time in all those years of being here?

[rushlimpdrug]

Posted by thefan08 at 08:35 AM :

You make a lot of sense.


Gotta go, my distant aunt is going to pick me up
to take me to church so I can get some sleep.

Kinda like obama.