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President Obama's Aunt Seeking Asylum in US Immigration Hearing

   VOA News 04 February 2010
   President Obama's aunt, Zeituni Onyango (file photo)

Photo: AP

   President Obama's aunt, Zeituni Onyango (file photo)

   An immigration hearing is being held for U.S. President Barack Obama's
   Kenyan aunt who is seeking asylum in the United States.
   Zeituni  Onyango  arrived  at  a  federal immigration court in Boston,
   Massachusetts Thursday to request that she be allowed to remain in the
   country.
   Onyango  moved  to  the  United  States in 2000.  A judge rejected her
   first  request  for  political  asylum  and ordered her deportation in
   2004.  But Onyango never left.
   Her  lawyer,  Margaret  Wong,  said  she  would ask the court to block
   deportation for mainly medical reasons.  Two doctors will be called to
   testify.
   Her  immigration  status became widely publicized just days before the
   2008  presidential  election, leading to speculation that her case was
   being politicized to embarrass then-candidate Mr. Obama.
   Mr.  Obama  says  he  did  not know his aunt was living in the country
   illegally and said that all appropriate laws should be followed.
   Onyango  is the half-sister of Mr. Obama's late father.  The president
   referred to her as "Aunti Zeituni" in a memoir.

   Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.

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