President Barack Obama's Kenyan aunt can stay in the United States, a U.S. immigration judge has ruled, ending a more than six-year legal battle over her status.
Judge Leonard Shapiro made the decision Friday, court officials told CNN. Two government sources confirmed Monday that the ruling will give legal status to Zeituni Onyango, allowing her to remain in the country.
Onyango's attorneys plan to hold a press conference at 2 p.m. in Ohio.
Onyango, who is the half-sister of the president's late father, applied for political asylum in 2002 due to violence in her native Kenya. She was a legal resident of the United States at the time and had received a Social Security card a year earlier.
Onyango's asylum request was turned down in 2004, and she has been living in the United States illegally since then. She appealed the rejection of her request twice, but was denied each time and ordered to leave the country.
Judge Shapiro gave Onyango permission to remain in the United States in April 2009 while he considered her case.
In February, Onyango arrived at an immigration court in a wheelchair and testified before the judge for more than two hours, her representative, Amy Cohn, told CNN at the time. Two doctors, including her personal physician, also testified on her behalf. Onyango's medical condition was part of her legal defense against expulsion.
White House officials said during the appeals that Obama was staying out of the matter.
"The president believes that the case should run its ordinary course," the officials said.
Onyango's immigration status came to light in the final days of the 2008 presidential race.
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Post by: CNN's Jeanne Meserve and Mike M. Ahlers Filed under: Barack Obama • Immigration |
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More crap.
you ninny
even if the judge did decide this way because she is the presidents aunt (there is no evidence that he did). what would you expect, he is the president of the united states, there is a certain amount of string pulling that he is capable of. duh???
America is turning hateful. From on angle you have white ameria (and the hispanics that wish they were white) crying for jobs they don't want, you have illegal aliens looking for 'dark' blue collar jobs and the ones supporting their way here is the drug dealers funded by american drug obsession, you have a blonde blue eyed Governor that wants to take us back decades in civil rights, and all this happening while we have our first black president, which many still have not accepted.
In regard to kuate's input: Until everyone is bright enough to understand what "illegal" means, and everyone can overcome the racism inherent in saying "the man can't be an idiot because he's black", certain issues will never be resolved to everyone's satisfaction.
I say buy Obama and his aunt a one way ticket to Kenya and then make them both prove citizenship before they can re-enter the US. Once he proves his citizenship, he can take her under his wing and pay her room and board and all her medical bills on his own dollar rather than milk the american people by allowing her to live in government subsidized housing and God knows what other government programs she's been milking for the last several years. Who's paying her legal bill. Let's get a complete accounting for this gal's benefits and legal costs and put it on the cover of every newspaper so that the rest of us tax paying americans can determine whether she's capable of paying her own way. News reports say that she is going to get a green card and work permit. That would be nice. Let's find out where she's been working and what her taxable income has been for the last few years. I'm so tired of this crap. If Obama wants loose immigration then let all the illegals tresspass on his property or spray paint on his house and see how he likes it. Better yet let him adopt a family and pay for their nationalization and room and board while they are here and leave me and the other law abiding citizens of this country out of it.
For FIVE (5) she remained in the USA illegally. Contempt of of a Court ORDER is not nor should it be taken "lightly" . The STANDING FEDRAL STATUTORY IMMIGRATION LAW "is the Law of the LAND". For any US Citizen to "selectively" determine which law they shall obey or ignore creates an undermining of the "Laws of the LAND" and our Court system. For example we have US Citizens whom, for whatever personal reason determined the IRS LAWS DO NOT apply to them – you may visit them at any Federal Prison during visitation hours. Selective Enforcement is no different than selective compliance – today we are teaching our "legal citizens" if you DO NOT agree with the Country's governing Laws then ignor them. Illegals that live in this Country are violating our Laws and those whom provide aid are co-conspirators – both are "Selectively" choicing what law to comply with. If thye want legal status then apply for it and if denied deport them immediately. You and I would not be given the "OH WELL" grace if the IRS or other government agency came after us – "Ignorance of the law is not defense for a US Citizen". If they want citizenship then the FIRST lesson is "OBEY OUR LAWS or LEAVE!"
Unfortunately, those of you making comments don't know how the Asylum process works. You are out-of-status while you apply, and you are out-of-status while you go throught the appeals process.
If you exhaust all your appeals, you have to leave, but during that process you are out of status – thats the way it is for everyone that is the process.
So you are in the country 'illegally'...but the process is designed for you to be in the country illegally, haven't you figured that out yet?
OK< you are a little slow, so let me walk you through it again.
You ask your fiance from Canada to marry you. You apply for and receive a K-1 Fiance visa. The Visa allows her entry into the country, legally – and you have 90 days to get married. You get married. You apply for the 'adjustment of status'.
If the adjustment of status comes through quickly, great. But if the paperwork gets hosed – which it can and does all the time, the USCIS is nearly completely incompetent – they send you a letter warning you, NOT TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY.
The 90 day period passes – she is "out of status"...she is an "ILLEGAL", but USCIS has told her not to leave the country.
6 months to a year later, USCIS finally finds the lost paperwork, they adjust her status, and suddenly she is legal again.
If she had left the country, during the adjustment period, she would not be allowed back in, and she would have violated USCIS rules.
Guys, the asylum process, the K-1 process, many, many of the USCIS process, have "out of status" periods...and during those periods you are "ILLEGAL"
If you apply for a drivers license during those periods – your status comes back as illegal. If Arizona cops pull you over, your status comes back as ILLEGAL.
The reason the states can't keep building rules around the USCIS process, is the USCIS process is a complete joke.
Yes, you don't leave the country during your asylum proceedings. You really don't. That's the way it works. Your comments are moronic and show you don't understand the subject you are commenting on. You can't win an asylum case if you leave the country, asylum is only for people who are in the U.S.
One other thing, those of you not legally minded haven't comprehended...she won her case. By winning her case, that retroactively proves that her decision to pursue appeals was correct, and the original decisions of the courts to ask her was incorrect.
Many processes in the government are pretty much automatic 'no' on the first try. It's wrong, but a fact of life in the U.S. today, that the government screens out those who aren't quite as serious about getting something, by just pretty much blanketly always saying 'no' on the first try. The same is true of applying for Social Security benefits, you pretty much have no choice but to hire a lawyer to get the benefits Congress intended for you...its almost a completely automatic 'no' on the first application.
So familiarize yourself with the facts, before commenting. I know people in Asylum cases...yes the standard 'order' is to leave the country – but a lawyer will advise to stay while you exhaust your appeals, because you don't win, typically, except on appeal.
That has nothing to do with the president...I know people that have won asylum cases, and they won on appeal. I also know people that have lost them, and ultimately left the country. Asylum is not an easy case to win... even if going back to the home country can mean almost certain death, you might still lose an asylum case.
Rick, did you know that there are thousands of probono lawyers for immigration process? She might not have necessarily paid her attorney.
Rob,
You said it right. I went through that process and I know how it works. Most folks don't know how it works. Perhaps, that is why they rush to point their blame fingers. For instance, I asked the judge to let me leave the country voluntarily and I was denied.
Rick, I can't agree more. I can try but it's just impossible.
All the people who don't like this and are decendents of the Europeons who came to this land and took over it illegally and masacarred millions of natives should be deported.
To all who diss immigrants:
All Americans - except Eskimos and native Indians, who also walked or sailed to North America from other lands, come to think of it - are the progeny of one-time immigrants. The Pilgrims immigrated, as did the Irish, Italians, Russians, Jews, Orientals, Germans, Africans etc. etc. Most were hated or at least feared by those already here when each group first arrived.
Where did your great-great-grandparents come from? And aren't you glad they got in?
Myron is right. This is not a "race" issue. How about obeying the law? She was ordered to leave the country and refused. She claims that the US owes her citizenship and that her refusal to obey the law does not matter. Apparently we are no longer a society expected to live by the law. If you do not find this wrong it means you are a fan of socialism. I do not care about the color of your skin or the what country you are from. How about everyone agreeing on simply following the immigration laws? If a white person tries to stay here illegally and is deported no one says anything. However if the person is hispanic or black it is "racial profiling".
Inscription on the Statue of Liberty
This poem addresses the above very well.
Author: Emma Lazarus
Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses, yearning to breath free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore,
Send these, the homeless, tempest tossed,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door.
With response to "Rob's" inputs, nice "cut and paste" jobs. Now my "cut and paste" from a previous article, After stints in a Boston homeless shelter, Onyango was eventually put in public housing and began receiving disability payments. In 2004, an immigration judge ordered her to leave the country, but Onyango remained. However, she noted that her story was less about intentionally flouting federal immigration policy and more about its ineffectiveness. So let me get this right, millions of legal families without jobs and homeless with zero income, she receives public housing and disability payments, one more time, disability payments. This is based on what earned income, etc.? She should have been turned over to ICE immediately for deportation. I've worked in Kenya, you don't have to walk around with a kavlar vest, armed, etc.,, even around the boardering countries.
this is total bull, if i had been living here il-legal you can bet i would have been throw out, and who is she trying to fool by saying her nephew didn't have a hand in getting her citizenship, he may not of been there personally but what judge is going to ship the president of the united states aunt out of the good old united states of america????????? that was a done deal when they found out who she was kin to, same old story, it is who you know, and how much money you have. that is my opinion of how it works. but lets not get this wrong it is just my opinion, don't want to be locked up for voiceing my opinion.
I wold like to know why she is living in subsidized housing and collecting disability when she had not worked in this country? Is it because she is the President's aunt?? The Prresident should be paying her bills, etc., not those of us who have put into the system legally. No wonder why Social Security is going broke!!
There are millions of citizens in this country that came here legally, complied with the immagration laws and became citizens legally. Those that don't are criminals and should be deported. Selective enforcement of the law by Judges that ignore the legislative process when they disagree with it are anarchists.
This is just wrong,the judge should be removed from the bench,now he is not holding up the same laws we are held to.
Sent her to nazi-zona I mean Arizona they will take care of her...
Yes, because asking people to actually obey the law is being Nazi-like. Lol. Dumb post.
ARE YOU KIDDING ME????? as If I am sooo surprised and we all didnt see this train wreck coming...she gets to stay here.... what the hell talk about special treatment....good grief she is illegal she needs to gol! I dont give a flying hootie tootie who's aunt she is...of course if she stays- that will only cause more angry and frustration to a president that is already failing miserably... sad to say it folks but if you fell into the whole "Hopey Changey" thing that he ran on– I guess this isnt maybe exactly what you thought? now you know where your money is going–to keep his aunt in the country, fighting her 6 YEAR legal battle and now keeping her on welfare cuz I highly doubt she has any real job skills.
Olivia – notice the article said that the President stayed out of it. His aunt did not live with him and he stayed out of it so in essence, blaminig him because she stayed in the country while she appealed the denials is the fault of the INS, not the President so the Hopey Changey you are snidely talking about is inapplicable.
Actually Olivia... that "Hopey-Changey" thing is working great for me as a tax paying, legal US resident. How's that whole "Drill Baby Drill" thing going for you? If you're going to say something, try to be original. Also... you're showing your colors with the "keeping her on welfare cuz I highly doubt she has any real job skills" comment. The President (and I bet it just burns your hide that he is the President) is staying out of it.
JC – You actually believe what you wrote? You have to be dumber that round rock if you do. Do you really think that Obama stayed out of it? Hardly, the case was fast tracked, and all who knew who she was passed the buck or felt they would be a target that would feel retribution no matter if Obama said anything or not.
Guess what JC...if she wasn't Obama's aunt, there wouldn't even be an article on it, and she would be packing her bags and headed home!
Nazi zona?
Are you not aware of the fact the the Mexican immigration, as well as Canadian immigration law for U.S. Citizens is tougher than ours is?
People who throw the 'Nazi' label around (liberal brain dead idiots) minimize the extent of the tragedy that the Nazi's, the Fascists (Itally and elsewhere) and the Imperialists did during WWII.
You are ordered to proceed to the nearest library and learn the definition of Nazism.
Then you may return to your seat.
Olivia you';re an IDIOT! President failing really bad huh. I guess Bush did a GREAT JOB HUH.. Economy slowly turning around, GM pays back money and now operating in the BLACK, we've stopped losing jobs, the stocks are up. YELL I GUESS YOU WOULD SAY HE'S REALLY MESSING UP ROYALTY!! DUMB BUTT REPUBLICANS!!
At least our state, Arizona, has the ball$ to enact a bill for illegal immigrants. And our president is NOT the first black. Too many people forget the white side of him. He is bi-racial. IDIOTS. And it wouldn't surprise me if the president had his fingers in the pot to let his aunt stay in this country.
For all you feeble minded people like Lalolalona who love to throw the "Nazi" regime in reference to anything/anyone who they disagree with; I say this: get a history book on that chapter in German history and read up! People don't just disappear in this country, well, except in Phoenix were illegals running drugs/people have made it the number TWO kidnap capitol of the world. I don't see huge ghettos were illegals have been rounded up waiting for deportation to a death camp. I don't see our medical professionals experimenting with illegals in grotesque fashion. Oh, and I don't see this country using the illegal invasion from Mexico as an excuse to invade that country, and the rest of South America! You would have been better off by comparing Arizona with the Federal Gov., which Arizona's immigration law mimics. The only difference is that the Gov. of Arizona is doing their job.
I just want to say Hi
your not from az ,why not go camping sometime there.the people have spoken.the german killers are now illegals from mexico,don't own a computer? read a paper-watch the news,get a life
Maybe now she can get a job since she's been on welfare since she's been here, oh wait no illegals get welfare right?!?
She hasn't been on welfare, you idiot. All you immigrant haters think every one of them is on welfare, which is illegal and NOT TRUE. Stop lying and throwing more fuel into a fire which should not be burning.
You are right. It is a fire that shouldnt be burning... Because they shouldnt be here.
George-she is on welfare, you idiot. She lives in public housing. I pay for her housing, food, utilities, cigarettes, booze, clothing, medical, auto, telephone, cable, and anything else she would purchase. But here's the good news...so do you. Unless ofcourse you are on welfare as well.
George – people aren't "immigrant haters" as you stated but they are MAD as he$$ about the ILLEGAL immigrants (criminals) who ARE largely on welfare and/or are working jobs American citizens WILL work.
Yea – so she is on welfare. Y'all been in a country that tortures many of its citizens, and has possibly been one? Um, because that's what political asylum IS, hence the name – DUH
do you live in a trailer?
Know how the illegals get on welfare? They come over to the U.S. have a ton of babies, which means those babies are now legal citizens of the U.S. THEN, the illegals can collect welfare to support those U.S. babies. They know how to work the system. PLUS, illegals pay hundreds, if not thousands of dollars to get illegal birth certificate, SS# and driver's license. Believe me, I know. I live in Southern Arizona near the Mexico border.
deport her yesterday dammit
is it true she is going to settle in Arizona?
you're a crap.
This is not crap. I'm sure everything was done legally. Obama admin is full of upstanding citizens.
that was funny. lol
If anyone in the Obama was an upstanding citizen, they would have publicly proclaimed that she was in violation of the law and ensured she was deported as the judge requested in 2004.
Ok so let's do this – if you (personally) are ever accused of something and arrested we will dispense of a trial, you will get no legal appeals, and you will server the full term. Are you actually so idiotic that you would not want "due process"? She was here legally. She was denied asylum. She appealed and it has been working its way through ever since. What was the judgment based on? Have you actually read the ruling? If not you arguments are conjecture. Also, this is not the same as someone who entered the country illegally, Again she was here legally but her asylum was initially turned down!
HA HA HA HA THAT IS SO FUNNY
What kind of crap is this?
This sets up precedent for all illegals to stay here.
And what's wrong with that? Your ancestors got to immigrate here.
and you is settin precedent for all idiots to have an opinion
Wow, you certainly have no shame. So your problem isn't actually with illegal immigrants. It's with anyone who is here who was not born here. You are a poor excuse for aan American and should be ex-patriated for your blatant racism.
Chris, you are right.....they always start with baby steps while breaking our laws..and I'm including our own Fed. Govt.
just to get what they want....MORE VOTES!!.
Right. OK. Let yet another illegal stay in the USA.
I wonder how much in taxpayer dollars she has collected through the years.
This family is starting to make Billy Carter look like royalty.
It has cost Mass taxpayers a bundle, seeing that she has been living in government housing and receiving aid all these years
Since when do rednecks like you read?
love it, ah, yes, the days when Carter was in the White House and Billy was running wild. I think I miss it, Never thought I would say that.
" How many tax dollars she's collected?" Where in the article did it mention that she's on welfare or of any financial distress. Most african immigrants get normal jobs and establish businesses. And most don't have the priviledge of of having a nephew as the president of the united states never mind the fact that her family was highly educated.
It is a matter of public record that Obama's aunt has been living in federally subsidized housing and receiving welfare for the last 6 years. It isn't a matter of whether or not she has money or is idependently wealthy. I have known many people who come to the US but leave their money in banks outside the US and then claim welfare benefits when they come, both legal and illegal.
The thing is, if we continue to allow the system to be broken and easily manipulated by both US citizens, legal residents, etc. without looking at the situation and attempting to find a resolution, then taxpayers will continue to see a rise in the percentage of taxes that they must surrender each time they are paid. It's sid that when applying for a job you have to actually figure out the amount of salary you are asking for and then bump it up to cover the 20-40% you are handing over every payperiod.
It is amazing that people can say "Obama stayed out of it." . The true answer is the media kept Obama out of it. Boy I could only imagine how things may have been different had voters seen him as a mixed-race candidate who was predominately raised outside of the US, with relatives living illegally in the US and taking welfare paymernts and subsidized housing.
I’m amazed how people like you who obviously don’t know the rule of law and don’t understand the judicial process make comments as such. I was taught to shut my mouth and open my ears when I don’t know something. But people like you always make an ass out of themselves when they just blurb things out when they don’t know what they are talking about. Thanks to these types of blogging, I realized how uninformed American people are about their own law of land.
Ms. Onyango was not here illegally. She had applied for asylum in 2002. Two years later, in 2004 while she was legally waiting for her decree, her asylum request was turned down. But despite that she stayed and kept filing for more appeal, which is totally permissible within the law. This is called the appeal process, which is a “right” given to anyone in this country throughout our judicial and our Administrative court systems. We don’t have double standard in this country. Everyone is equal under the law.
You are right zephyrwinds, at least they were white. lol
and you make larry the cable guy sound so educated and refined
i ilegal and i got 8 child and i welfare and i no work and i happy here
I think the case should have been determined in Arizona!
ARIZONA YOU STICK BY YOUR LAW
She'll be alright as long as she keeps out of Arizona. A-hyuk!
Whats wrong with you fool?? That woman is Da Prez's auntie. Shes gonna be poster babe for immigration reform. And who cares if shes been on welfare all these years. Its "change we can believe in" the BO way. Wonder what his immigration status = anchor baby.
Gee, what a surprise!!!!
Yeah 6 years is way to short, related to the president or otherwise. I think 10-12 years is a much better system for immigration
No kidding-REALLY? And we expected a different outcome?
Chris you know what you need to do? Calm. Right. Down. Ten deep breaths, the darkies aren't gonna take your land or whatever you're freaking out about this week.
You are either not a supporter of the new Arizona illegal immigration law, or you are an illegal. By the way what has B.O. have to hide his birth certificate? What does he fear? That he is himself an illegal? If you have nothing to fear, SHOW it.
and why wasnt she deported six years ago like all wetbacks
The question is why people like YOU are allowed to stay here....freaking redneck. Go do your cousin or something, will ya.
You are truly a disgusting excuse for a human being. I'll bet you go to church on Sunday too.
you do know that the phrase "red neck" is a union term .. it was made when the union coal miners were fighting the non unions mining towns and they wore red bandannas around their necks to tell each other apart. but y oujust spew forth any stupid phrases that come to your liberal obama loving mind i see
Dear Joe-
I'm not sure how you find offense with the term "redneck" and not "wetback". I've never seen someone wearing a "Proud to be a Wetback" t-shirt. Only one is a racial slur in my book.
Congratulations Richard! You have apparently learned a new word! Try using a Thesaurus and coming up with a different derogatory word besides "redneck", you have already overused it.
Now that was entirely uncalled for. While I look forward to this country handling the issue of illegal immigrants, there are still idiots in our United states that maybe need to leave themselves. You, my friend, are an idiot.
@skydy11
Its people like you why this country hasn't gotten over its racism. Its like as if you take pride in it.
Crap, just lose the hatred.
That's not fair – I have friends with similar or even less severe case who got deported, after loosing so many battles with the court...
No, it's not fair at all. Welcome to the real world. The rules don't apply to everyone the same.It's not "what" you know, it's "who" you know. It certainly explains why Obama hasn't done much on illegal immigration. Now watch him come down hard in illegal immigrants and immigration reform. No, this is not fair at all.
all people are equal, but some are more equal than others