President Barack Obama's uncle is scheduled to attend a federal immigration hearing in Boston on Tuesday, in hopes that he can remain in the United States amid a 1992 deportation and 2011 arrest.
69-year-old Onyango Obama is the half-brother of President Obama's late father, according to Reuters. He has lived in the U.S. since his high school years, when he traveled from Kenya to Massachusetts to attend classes at a school outside of Boston, but he dropped out soon after, while his visa continued to run out.
The status of his visa, which expired in 1992, came to light in 2011 when he was arrested for drunk driving in August 2011 in Framingham, Mass., Reuters reported. While cops were placing handcuffs on Onyango Obama, he reportedly said to them, "I think I will call the White House."
Following his arrest, Onyango was put on probation for 12 months, while his lawyers filed to appeal the order of deportation, since Onyango had reportedly spent the greater portion of his life in the United States. The 69-year-old's legal team also argued that his ex-immigration attorney didn't represent him adequately.
President Obama is not thought to keep in close contact with Onyango, but according to Reuters, some have raised eyebrows over accusations that the latter Obama has gotten special treatment from law enforcement. Some immigration officials were said to have given him a work permit and released him from jail at the time of his appeal.
Judge Leonard Shaprio will hear the case on Tuesday, three years after awarding asylum to Onyango's sister and President Obama's aunt, Zeituni Onyango. During the 2010 case, Zuituni stated that she couldn't return to her homeland, Kenya, because of extreme political force.
