Obama aunt says in 1st interview since receiving asylum that US obligated to make her citizen

Obama’s aunt says US obligated to make her citizen

BOSTON — President Barack Obama’s aunt, who lived for years illegally in Boston, says in her first interview since being granted asylum that the United States has an “obligation” to grant her citizenship.

Zeituni Onyango (zay-TUH’-nee awn-YAHN’-goh) tells WBZ-TV that she came to the U.S. from Kenya in 2000 but couldn’t afford to leave when she was originally denied asylum in 2004. She says she fell critically ill and was hospitalized. When she was discharged, she lived in a homeless shelter for two years before being assigned public housing.

She says she never asked for public assistance and never asked for Obama to intervene in her immigration case.

Onyango still lives in public housing and collects $700 monthly disability.

She says she feels like she’s been treated as a pariah since her residency status became public.