Zeituni Onyango facts for kids

Zeituni Onyango (May 29, 1952 – April 7, 2014) was the half-aunt of Barack Obama, who became the President of the United States. She was born in Kenya, a country in Africa, into the Luo tribe.

Zeituni was the half-sister of Barack Obama Sr., who was President Obama's father. Barack Obama mentioned her in his 1995 book, Dreams from My Father, calling her "Aunti Zeituni".

In 2000, Zeituni Onyango came to the United States on a temporary visa. She stayed in the U.S. even after her visa expired. In 2002, she asked the U.S. government for political asylum. This means she asked for protection because she feared for her safety if she returned to Kenya. Her request was turned down in 2004.

Her case became widely known just before the 2008 U.S. presidential election. This happened because information about her immigration status was shared with the public. This brought a lot of attention to her story from news groups around the world.

Early Life and Family Connections

Zeituni Onyango was born in 1952 in Kenya. At that time, Kenya was under British rule. She was a daughter of Onyango Obama and his third wife, Sarah Onyango Obama. She was a much younger half-sister to Barack Obama Sr..

Zeituni went to school and became a computer programmer. She worked at Kenya Breweries in Nairobi. In 1988, she met her American half-nephew, Barack Obama, when he visited Kenya. He was 27 years old and meeting his father's family for the first time.

Zeituni shared stories with Obama about his father, Barack Obama Sr. She told him that his father was the first in their family to travel by airplane and study abroad when he went to Hawaii in 1959. She also explained about their large extended family. Barack Obama Sr. had many children from different marriages. He became an economist in the Kenyan government.

In his book Dreams from My Father, Barack Obama wrote about his trip to Kenya. He included details about meeting Zeituni, whom he called "Aunti Zeituni."

Immigration Status in the United States

Zeituni Onyango had visited the United States many times since 1975. Each time, she returned to Kenya. However, in 2000, she came to the U.S. with her son, who was going to college in Boston. She stayed in the country after her visa ran out.

By 2002, she had applied for political asylum. She also applied for public housing in Boston. She moved into an apartment managed by Massachusetts authorities after having back surgery, which made it hard for her to walk.

From 2003, Zeituni lived in a public housing building in South Boston. She even volunteered as a computer systems coordinator for a program that helps children.

In 2010, Zeituni Onyango was finally granted political asylum. This meant she could legally stay in the United States. She told reporters that she had lived in a homeless shelter for two years while waiting for her public housing apartment. She also received disability checks to help her with living costs.

Political Situation in Kenya

When Zeituni Onyango applied for political asylum in 2002, she said she feared violence in Kenya. A judge at first rejected her request. Kenya has had a history of "ethnic tension" between different groups, especially between the Luo tribe (Zeituni's tribe) and the Kikuyu tribe.

In the 2000s, there was a lot of ethnic violence in Kenya and other parts of East Africa. This violence led to killings and forced many people to leave their homes.

Raila Odinga, who was Kenya's prime minister in 2008, is also from the Luo tribe. He is a cousin of Barack Obama.

When Zeituni's asylum case became public, she felt unsafe in Boston. People were calling and knocking on her door all the time. She moved to stay with friends in Cleveland, Ohio, to avoid the attention.

Immigration Details

Zeituni Onyango's immigration status became a big news story in the last week of the 2008 U.S. presidential election. This was because her half-nephew, Barack Obama, was running for president. News reports said she was living in the U.S. without proper immigration papers. She had been asked to leave in 2004 after her asylum request was denied.

Many people live in the U.S. for years even after being told to leave. The government usually focuses on people with criminal records first.

On May 17, 2010, Zeituni Onyango was allowed to stay in the United States. She became a legal resident and was given permission to work.

Death

Zeituni Onyango passed away on April 7, 2014, in a care home in Boston, Massachusetts. She had been battling breast cancer and a breathing problem.

See also

• History of laws concerning immigration and naturalization in the United States
• Immigration to the United States