Telegraph.co.uk: Obama's aunt fights deportation

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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...portation.html

Obama's aunt fights deportation

The Kenyan aunt of President Barack Obama, Zeituni Onyango, is to appear before an immigration judge to fight deportation.

Published: 11:30AM GMT 04 Feb 2010

President Barack Obama's African aunt is due before an immigration judge for a second time on Thursday to argue she should be allowed to stay in the United States.

Zeituni Onyango, 57, cared for Mr Obama's siblings and moved to the US in 2000.

Her first asylum request was rejected, and she was ordered to be deported in 2004. But she didn't leave the country and her status as an illegal immigrant was revealed just days before Obama was elected.

Obama says he didn't know his aunt was living in the country illegally. He says laws covering the situation should be followed.

A judge agreed to reopen the asylum case, which will be closed to the public in accordance with Ms Onyango's wishes.

Mike Rogers, spokesman for the Ohio law firm defending Ms Onyango, said she was not trying to "capitalise" on her relation to Mr Obama – whose father was Ms Onyango's half-brother.

"Everyone knows she's related to him.

"It's a no-win situation for him. He can't get involved in this. The law has got to run its course."