Obama's aunt given OK to stay in United States

Ianus · 05-17-2010, 04:43 PM

Who would of thought,the President's aunt is given the right to stay in the US.Now if he can just do the same for the 10,799,999 others who does not have the right to stay.

Quote:

BOSTON — An immigration judge has granted asylum to President Obama’s aunt and will allow her to stay in the United States, her lawyers said Monday. She could become a citizen in about six years.

Zeituni Onyango, 57, who lives in public housing in Boston, is the half-sister of Mr. Obama’s late father and is from Kenya. She moved to the United States in 2000 on a valid visa and has been seeking asylum since 2002.

Judge Leonard Shapiro, an immigration judge in Boston, reached his decision in the long-running case on Friday. Her lawyers announced the decision Monday at their offices in Cleveland.

Ms. Onyango applied for asylum in 2002 and was rejected in 2004 and ordered to leave the country. She continued to fight the case and in April 2009, Judge Leonard Shapiro in Boston stayed her case until February, when hearings were held in the case.

Ms. Onyango had lived in relative anonymity in Boston until just before the 2008 presidential election, when The Times of London found her in what it described as “rundown public housing.”

At the time, Mr. Obama’s aides said that he did not know his aunt was in the United States illegally and that “any and all appropriate laws” covering her situation should be followed. The aides said he would not intervene in her case and that the two had had no contact.

It turned out that Ms. Onyango made small contributions to Mr. Obama’s campaign, amounting to $265, but the campaign returned them. She attended Mr. Obama’s inauguration in January in Washington but the two did not see each other.

The immigration courts have an extensive backlog, and her case was being watched closely to see if it might be expedited.

Mr. Obama wrote about his aunt in his 1995 memoir, “Dreams From My Father,” because she served as his guide in Kenya — and his guide to some painful family history — during his visit in 1988. She said that Mr. Obama’s father, who died in a car crash in 1982, took her in when her husband became abusive and she had no money.

At one point, Ms. Onyango left Boston for Cleveland, where she had relatives, to escape the media attention. She later returned to Boston to press her case for asylum. She is being represented by Margaret Wong, a lawyer in Cleveland.

In seeking asylum for Ms. Onyango, Ms. Wong has argued all along that if she were forced to return to Kenya, she would face undue attention and perhaps danger because her nephew was so famous; in order to be granted asylum, people must show that they would face persecution in their home countries.

Ms. Wong’s office said Monday that following the granting of asylum, a person can receive an A5 Work Authorization, which allows for application for a work permit, a social security number and a driver’s license or state identification card. After one year from the date of the decision, the person can apply for a permanent green card and then in five years could apply for citizenship.

Wondering1983 · 05-17-2010, 05:09 PM

Quote:

In seeking asylum for Ms. Onyango, Ms. Wong has argued all along that if she were forced to return to Kenya, she would face undue attention and perhaps danger because her nephew was so famous; in order to be granted asylum, people must show that they would face persecution in their home countries.

Danger? I thought the Kenyans were pro-Obama? lol
Good for her but he has so many relatives why would only she be targeted. If all she faced was undue attention and danger due to be being related to someone famous... I should apply for asylum (can't be that hard) lol j/k

midtownhm · 05-17-2010, 05:16 PM

This isn't fair at all, there are millions of people who worked a lot harder and contribute more then she did. If she went back to Kenya, why would anyone hurt her? Obama is like a pop culture icon there.

RenzoM · 05-17-2010, 05:23 PM

Cool obama, my turn.

2Face · 05-17-2010, 05:43 PM

Hey I'm a Kenyan citizen...Will I be eligible for this adjustment that Obama's aunty has received???

Ianus · 05-17-2010, 06:15 PM

@Wondering & Midtownhm,completely agree with your statements.The many dreamers whom are given removal/deportation orders are always basically given the same message of the "law is the law" or "the system is inflexible",yet we have one person given 'special treatment' when the President doesn't even want to promote CIR....let alone Dream act in the last year.It is simply outrageous from a fairness perspective.

1.It is interesting that the immigration judge seemed to be kinda strict for the area she is in,but still accepted her argument which was once denied before under the Bush administration.

2.It is also interesting,that the guy in the front right,so I've been told,holds a very high position in ICE in that area escorting her.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2Face

Hey I'm a Kenyan citizen...Will I be eligible for this adjustment that Obama's aunty has received???

If you knew Obama somewhat personally perhaps and lived in the area she was in.....it might be possible.

Demise · 05-17-2010, 06:38 PM

10,799,999 more to go

beans · 05-17-2010, 06:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RenzoM

Cool obama, my turn.

LOL X)

DA User · 05-17-2010, 07:03 PM

This is awesome.

VaeVictis · 05-17-2010, 07:11 PM

If we could all be so fortunate...

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Obama's aunt given OK to stay in United States