Is President Obama's Illegal Immigrant Uncle Getting Special Treatment?

President Obama has been attacked by some conservatives for allegedly turning a blind eye to the suffering of his family - especially his half brother, George Obama. However, it may well be that being related to Obama has more perks than they'd initially expected, based on reports concerning his uncle, Onyango Obama, who illegally immigrated to the United States in the early 90's and may be allowed to stay in spite of being caught.

Onyango Obama standing center (Photo Credit: Splash)

The Daily Mail reports:

The illegal immigrant 67-year-old, described as 'Uncle Omar' in President Obama's book, has allegedly been living illegally in the U.S. since 1992.[...]

Onyango Obama is believed to have come to the U.S. in 1963 to attend a high-profile prep school in Massachusetts.

He dropped out and was ordered to leave the country in 1989. He appealed the decision - but in 1992, he lost.

Photo Credit: Splash

However, it is thought the deportation order was never enforced, and Obama has been living illegally in the U.S. ever since.

White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said soon after Obama was arrested that he would not receive any special treatment.

As one might expect, the administration's denials that the elder Obama is not receiving any special treatment are being met with polite skepticism by some corners. As Business Insider puts it:

And critics of Onyango believe he's getting special treatment. Sacchetti points out that Onyango was released from immigration detention and obtained a federal work permit and a state hardship driver's license — materials that critics insist other immigrants who aren't related to the president aren't able to get.

(Photo Credit: Splash)

 

The other reason Onyango became one of the more public figures in the distant first family was his arrest in the summer of 2011 for drunk driving in Framingham, Massachusetts, after which he jokingly told officers, "I think I will call the White House." According to Onyango's lawyer, Onyango was not in touch with the White House.

And CNSNews has circumstantial evidence suggesting that Onyango Obama might indeed be getting the special treatment, whatever he says:

CNSNews.com reported in July that an ICE internal e-mail obtained by the legal watchdog Judicial Watch had confirmed that ICE had granted Obama a stay of deportation “to seek reopening of his deportation proceedings.”

(Photo Credit: Splash)

The e-mail, sent by Hale to ICE Director John Morton on April 1, revealed that ICE had no immediate plans to deport Obama, in spite of a previous ICE order that granted Obama a stay of deportation until June 5, 2012.

“Mr. Onyango is subject to a final order of deportation. ICE had granted him a stay of deportation effective until June 5, 2012,” the e-mail reads.

“The stay was granted to allow him to attend pending criminal proceedings and to seek reopening of his deportation proceedings, which concluded before the Board of Immigration Appeals on January 29, 1992.”

None of this is conclusive, and even if Onyango Obama does achieve permission to stay in the United States, it is unclear how much harm he could do. Nevertheless, the idea of the administration that once vowed to be the "most transparent in history" getting caught in offering special favors to anyone will no doubt strike some observers as ironic.