# Obama's Aunt an Illegal Immigrant **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 1, 2008, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-aunt-an-illegal-immigrant/470561 "2008-11-01T11:18:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-aunt-an-illegal-immigrant/470561/101 "2008-11-01T21:40:56Z")
> [@Carol\_Stream](#): > > A link to a website’s front page is in no way a cite. Besides, do you have one from an actual news organization that he’s returning the money? Or are you hoping he does so in the next day or two, when Brain Glutton’s claim becomes retroactively true? Why do you doubt that he will? Politicians are frequently returning (or donating to charity, or whatever) donations that become questionable, often in amounts far less negligible than this one. Do you really believe that he won’t? Oh, by the way, foreign citizens who hold green cards are allowed to donate. Not that this applies to this situation, but just so’s ya know. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-aunt-an-illegal-immigrant/470561/102 "2008-11-01T21:40:58Z")
> [@Richard\_Parker](#): > > You need to figure out the difference between healthy skepticism and denial. > > [http://us.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/11/01/obama.aunt/index.html](http://us.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/11/01/obama.aunt/index.html) My god! You linked to the Clinton News Network! Don’t you know that kind will only accept a [Fox News link](http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2008Nov01/0,4670,ObamaAunt,00.html)?! > [@Fox News](#): > > The campaign said it was returning $260 that Onyango had contributed in small increments to Obama’s presidential bid over several months. Federal election law prohibits foreigners from making political donations. Onyango listed her employer as the Boston Housing Authority and last gave $5 on Sept. 19. Satisfied now, **Carol**? Your temple has spoken, and it turns out the Great Anti-Christ did, in fact, give back the money. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-aunt-an-illegal-immigrant/470561/103 "2008-11-01T21:43:40Z")
Where’s Brad Blakeman when you need him? ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-aunt-an-illegal-immigrant/470561/104 "2008-11-01T21:48:27Z")
> [@Frylock](#): > > It’s now the [U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services](http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis). > > When did that change? Not long after 9/11. > [@](#): > > And do we call it the CIS? It’s called the USCIS. ---
**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-aunt-an-illegal-immigrant/470561/105 "2008-11-01T21:49:15Z")
This really is a stupid topic. How many here can say they know what all their relatives are up to? I surely cannot. I don’t believe Barack needs to be held accountable for anything a family member does that he cannot control. What’s next, a family member in Kenya smokes opium, thus Barack pals around with drug users? ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_Stream](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c2a13f/32.png) [@Carol\_Stream](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_Stream)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-aunt-an-illegal-immigrant/470561/106 "2008-11-01T21:50:23Z")
> [@Richard\_Parker](#): > > You need to figure out the difference between healthy skepticism and denial. > > [http://us.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/11/01/obama.aunt/index.html](http://us.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/11/01/obama.aunt/index.html) Thank you, that’s all I was asking. Why **Brain Glutton** especially, since he made the claim, or **Jophiel** , or **askeptic** , couldn’t have provided such, the first time it was brought up, I don’t know. ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_Stream](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c2a13f/32.png) [@Carol\_Stream](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_Stream)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-aunt-an-illegal-immigrant/470561/107 "2008-11-01T21:58:34Z")
> [@ParentalAdvisory](#): > > This really is a stupid topic. How many here can say they know what all their relatives are up to? I surely cannot. I don’t believe Barack needs to be held accountable for anything a family member does that he cannot control. What’s next, a family member in Kenya smokes opium, thus Barack pals around with drug users? Shouldn’t he be held accountable for accepting illegal campaign contributions from said relative? After all, how many Zeituni Onyangos live in the United States? Just a hunch, but I’d bet the grand sum total is 1. And he knows who she is, at least, seeing as he wrote about her in his own :rolleyes: hagiography. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-aunt-an-illegal-immigrant/470561/108 "2008-11-01T22:05:22Z")
> [@Carol\_Stream](#): > > Shouldn’t he be held accountable for accepting illegal campaign contributions from said relative? After all, how many Zeituni Onyangos live in the United States? Just a hunch, but I’d bet the grand sum total is 1. And he knows who she is, at least, seeing as he wrote about her in his own :rolleyes: hagiography. And I’m sure he PERSONALLY looks at every single contribution. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-aunt-an-illegal-immigrant/470561/109 "2008-11-01T22:05:47Z")
It’s a “big deal” to some because this event just happens to hit a couple of chords Obama’s opponents have been harping on for months: he’s an insensitive elitist who’d rather let his family live in squalor than lift a finger to help them. He turns a blind eye to the law when it suits him (campaign contributions and immigration). Then again, to those who care about illegal immigration in the way conservatives often do, McCain (and Bush) are not much better than Obama (especially now that I’ve read that the current administration has moved to delay any processes that would cause Obama’s aunt to get deported before the election). ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-aunt-an-illegal-immigrant/470561/110 "2008-11-01T22:17:13Z")
this story was the lead on tonight’s special edition of hardball on msnbc. ---
**Author:** ![askeptic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@askeptic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/askeptic)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-aunt-an-illegal-immigrant/470561/111 "2008-11-01T22:41:56Z")
> [@Carol\_Stream](#): > > Thank you, that’s all I was asking. Why **Brain Glutton** especially, since he made the claim, or **Jophiel** , or **askeptic** , couldn’t have provided such, the first time it was brought up, I don’t know. Oh I’m sorry. The story was the second lead on the front page of the link I gave you. Next time I will send somebody over to read it to you. Again, for what possible reason could you think they wouldn’t give it back? It’s not like Obama is hurting for cash and unlike McShame/Failin he does not have a tendency to shoot himself in the foot by making stupid decisions. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-aunt-an-illegal-immigrant/470561/112 "2008-11-01T22:45:08Z")
> [@Phlosphr](#): > > Underlining mine. No way - not even close. Colorado is almost sured to go to Obama, New Mexico, and possibly Virginia and NC. I probably should have been clearer: of the four you mention, only NC seems like a “swing state” anymore. I agree that NM, CO, and VA seem to be safe for Obama at this point. Which, if he doesn’t lose PA, is more than enough to win. Current “swing states” seem to be: NC, GA, FL, IN, MO, AZ. And ND, MT if that can be believed. My feeling is that none of them will go to Obama now, in part because of fear-mongering of illegal aliens. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-aunt-an-illegal-immigrant/470561/113 "2008-11-01T22:48:43Z")
> [@Carol\_Stream](#): > > And he knows who she is, at least, seeing as he wrote about her in his own :rolleyes: hagiography. What’s with this roll eyes and “hagiography”? Do you have the smallest shred of evidence that he didn’t write his biography, keeping in mind it was published _before_ he entered politics, and that his editor said it needed very little editing? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-aunt-an-illegal-immigrant/470561/114 "2008-11-01T22:57:22Z")
I believe Ms **Stream** has made a funny. ---
**Author:** ![EasyPhil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e47c2d/32.png) [@EasyPhil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EasyPhil)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-aunt-an-illegal-immigrant/470561/115 "2008-11-01T23:02:08Z")
> [@Polerius](#): > > Of course! > > That’s exactly what the McCain campaign does. All the credit-card donations on their web site require you to upload a scan of your birth certificate and/or passport. > > No reason that the Obama campaign can’t do the same thing. The fact that they are not shows that they are America-hating Godless liberals. Can you provide a link that substantiates what you just wrote? The following two links from McCain’s campaign site don’t have a requirement or option to upload the information that you described. [https://secure.donationreport.com/donation.html?key=UVA0D5OJBOIW](https://secure.donationreport.com/donation.html?key=UVA0D5OJBOIW) [https://secure.donationreport.com/donation.html?key=NPM2A9KUXS0J](https://secure.donationreport.com/donation.html?key=NPM2A9KUXS0J) ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-aunt-an-illegal-immigrant/470561/116 "2008-11-01T23:04:51Z")
Whoooosh! For the second time: neither campaign can possibly verify someone’s immigration status. There is no way to reliably do that. ---
**Author:** ![askeptic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@askeptic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/askeptic)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-aunt-an-illegal-immigrant/470561/117 "2008-11-01T23:05:25Z")
> [@EasyPhil](#): > > Can you provide a link that substantiates what you just wrote? The following two links from McCain’s campaign site don’t have a requirement or option to upload the information that you described. > > [https://secure.donationreport.com/donation.html?key=UVA0D5OJBOIW](https://secure.donationreport.com/donation.html?key=UVA0D5OJBOIW) > [https://secure.donationreport.com/donation.html?key=NPM2A9KUXS0J](https://secure.donationreport.com/donation.html?key=NPM2A9KUXS0J) Let me be the [del]first[/del] second to say… WHOOSH! Don’t worry, it happens to the nicest people. ---
**Author:** ![EasyPhil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e47c2d/32.png) [@EasyPhil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EasyPhil)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-aunt-an-illegal-immigrant/470561/118 "2008-11-01T23:15:29Z")
Okay, you got me there, I should have paid more attention to the context. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-aunt-an-illegal-immigrant/470561/119 "2008-11-01T23:39:21Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > I believe Ms **Stream** has made a funny. She often makes funnies. The question is did she do it on purpose this time? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2008, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-aunt-an-illegal-immigrant/470561/120 "2008-11-02T00:49:26Z")
> [@Carol\_Stream](#): > > Wait, do you have a cite that they are returning the money? Because that wasn’t in the AP story. Yes, it was. > [@](#): > > The campaign said it was returning $260 that Onyango had contributed in small increments to Obama’s presidential bid over several months. Federal election law prohibits foreigners from making political donations. Onyango listed her employer as the Boston Housing Authority and last gave $5 on Sept. 19. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-aunt-an-illegal-immigrant/470561.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-aunt-an-illegal-immigrant/470561.md?page=7)