VIDEO: Pres. Obama's Kenyan Aunt Breaks Silence

By GottaLaff

It's nice to see her in movin' pictures:



H/t: Hippie_Cyndi

Judge extends Obama's Aunt Zeituni's stay in United States

By GottaLaff

Last night I posted about President Obama's Aunt Zeituni becoming a symbol in the immigration debate. Not an easy position to be in. But now she gets some good news:

President Barack Obama's Kenyan aunt, who was ordered deported five years ago, can stay in the United States legally until next year when she makes a new asylum bid, an immigration judge ruled on Wednesday. [...]

Zeituni Onyango, 56, whom Obama calls "Auntie Zeituni" in one of his memoirs, has been living in a public housing complex in Boston and is the half-sister of Obama's father.

"The decision as to Ms. Onyango's request to stay permanently in the U.S. will be made during a second hearing," Michael Rogers, a spokesman for Onyango's lawyer, Margaret Wong, said in a statement. [...]

The hearing on Wednesday was closed to the media. The next hearing is set for February 4, 2010. [...]

Obama's campaign said in November he had no knowledge of Onyango's immigration status and that "any and all appropriate laws" should be followed in her case. His aides questioned the timing of the disclosure.

Obama's aunt becomes symbol in immigration debate

By GottaLaff

What if she had a last name that sounded more like, say, Limbaugh, Buchanan, or Palin... or if she were, I dunno, white...?

Barack Obama's Kenyan aunt lost her bid for asylum more than four years ago, and a judge ordered her deported. Instead, Zeituni Onyango stayed, living for years in public housing.

Now, in a case that puts the president in a tough position both personally and politically, Onyango's request is being reconsidered under a little-used provision in U.S. immigration rules that allows denied asylum claims to be reheard if applicants can show that something has changed to make them eligible.

Such as the ascension of her nephew to the presidency of the world's most powerful country.

"If she goes back to Kenya, she is going to be much more in the limelight, and that, in and of itself, could put her at a greater risk. The chances of her going back and keeping a low profile are gone at this point," said Boston immigration attorney Ilana Greenstein.

Onyango, 56, the half-sister of Obama's late father, moved to the United States in 2000. Her first bid for asylum was rejected, and an immigration judge ordered her deported in 2004; she continues to live in public housing in Boston. [...]

Obama has said repeatedly that he didn't know his aunt was living in the United States illegally and believes that laws covering the situation should be followed. If she wins asylum, he could look soft on immigration enforcement. If she loses, he could face criticism from immigrant advocacy groups.

The White House says Obama is staying out of it. [...]

People who seek asylum must show that they face persecution in their homeland on the basis of religion, race, nationality, political opinion or membership in a social group.

Onyango's reasons for seeking asylum have not been made public, and her immigration hearing will be closed at her lawyer's request. [...]

Onyango could improve her chances of winning asylum if she can argue successfully that some in the Kenyan government may perceive — because of her relationship with Obama — "that she may have some level of political power and be able to transfer that power" to her tribe, Kelly said. [...]

Her case is being closely watched by people on all sides of the immigration debate. Some critics say her status has already damaged the president's credibility on immigration issues.[...]

But immigrant advocates say opponents are unfairly using Onyango's case as political fodder.

"Whether it's the president's aunt, my aunt or your aunt — anybody who's seeking asylum is seeking that status for a very important reason," said Ali Noorani, executive director of the National Immigration Forum. "We are always worried that a person whose asylum claims are rejected, that they end up in a situation where they are a victim of violence."