APA – London (United Kingdom) The Kenyan-born aunt of the United States President Barack Obama, Thursday appeared before an American federal immigration court in Boston, to argue her case to be allowed to stay in the United States.

According to reports monitored here, this is the second time Zeituni Onyango, is appearing before immigration judges in Boston where she has been living since 2008. Her case was trumpeted by the American press at the peak of Obama’s presidential campaign.

Her first asylum request was rejected, and she was ordered to be deported in 2004. But she didn’t leave the country and her status as an illegal immigrant was revealed just days before Obama was elected.

Obama says he didn’t know his aunt was living in the country illegally. He says laws covering the situation should be followed. A judge agreed to reopen the asylum case, which will be closed to the public in accordance with Ms Onyango’s wishes. Ms Onyango, 57, cared for Mr Obama’s siblings and moved to the US in 2000. Mike Rogers, spokesman for the Ohio law firm defending Ms Onyango, said she was not trying to “capitalize” on her relation to Mr. Obama, whose father was Ms Onyango’s half-brother.

“Everyone knows she’s related to him.

“It’s a no-win situation for him. He can’t get involved in this. The law has got to run its course.”