Obama's aunt gets a free pass and gets granted asylum

[Danno 1,228]

I was under the impression over staying ones visa and disregarding deportation pretty much ripped up any chance one had to immigrate.

But somehow according to breaking news....Obamas Aunt has been granted asylum.

WHat would the typical applicants chances be?

[SuperDuper! 230]

Danno, it's not what you know, but WHO you know. We know that you get this and understand that double standards exist.

This does not happen for the common visa applicant.

[Danno 1,228]

Danno, it's not what you know, but WHO you know. We know that you get this and understand that double standards exist.

This does not happen for the common visa applicant.

I thought I read somewhere it was an automatic 10 year wait before one can even apply if you over stay a visa and disregard deportation.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

here's the article...

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/05/17/obamas-aunt-is-granted-asylum/

BOSTON — Immigration officials have granted asylum to President Obama’s aunt and will allow her to stay in the United States, her lawyers said Monday.

Zeituni Onyango, 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.

Her lawyers announced the immigration officials’ decision Monday at their offices in Cleveland. She could become a citizen in about six years.

Ms. Onyango, who is in her late 50s, 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.

[Ban Hammer 12,829]

anyone surprised?

[SMOKE 1,426]

anyone surprised?

only that it took this long.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

She will continue to live in public housing and collect welfare.

Why doesn't her millionaire nephew help her out?

[Nagishkaw 510]

I want my fvcking money back.

[William33 110]

What a load of #######....

[IndigoSkies 168]

Who didn't see this coming? Even blind Ray Charles saw this coming.

[spookyturtle 9,465]

Amnesty for all illegals. Bend over and spread your cheeks for all those that follow the law.

[rsn 135]

I was prepared to be angered about this when I read the headline, but if you look at the article posted by Paul, you will see that this is a reasonable outcome for this case. Here are some highlights from the article:

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.

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.

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

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

Regarding the last quote, especially, I would agree that she has a legitimate claim. Should she be deported back to Kenya, there's always the chance that she may be kidnapped and held for ransom. Think about it.

[SMR 368]

Regarding the last quote, especially, I would agree that she has a legitimate claim. Should she be deported back to Kenya, there's always the chance that she may be kidnapped and held for ransom. Think about it.

I agree that the details of the case appear to show that Barack Obama had nothing to do with this in any direct manner. However, that doesn't really make the case any less infuriating. She began appealing for asylum in 2002. In 2002, Obama was a state senator. While that isn't exactly a nobody, it also doesn't make her a high profile target for persecution. She really could have lived in anonymity and even after the 2008 election would have probably been okay as long as she didn't parade around claiming him as a nephew. Moreover, the fact that her security might be compromised, in reality by her own fault, is not equivalent to persecution. Many people live in fear of their lives for various reasons, some more valid than others. That alone doesn't qualify them for asylum.

I've said before that I don't like the US immigration system and think it is too complicated. But that doesn't justify the fact that many people thumb their nose at the immigration system and eventually out-lawyer it while others spend thousands of dollars or, worse, sit in line to do it the legal way.

I really don't have a problem with people coming to the US and believe it is a good thing. The fact that she is living off the state is not a characteristic of a broken immigration system but rather the result of a broken welfare system which sees government assistance as a long term solution.

[DEDixon 39]

no surprise!

[ready4ONE 5,400]

I thought I read somewhere it was an automatic 10 year wait before one can even apply if you over stay a visa and disregard deportation.

This is why, when folks seek legitimate advice in the upper boards here on VJ, Rule # 1: NEVER, EVER LEAVE THE USA WHILE OUT OF STATUS.

No this is not a unique story, and it is pathetic to see those who should know better chime in because of apparent political bias. This thread is not one of VJ's finest, even for off topic.