Obama’s uncle ordered to report regularly to ICE

By John Zaremba
Friday, April 13, 2012 - Updated 14 hours ago

President Obama’s illegal-alien uncle met yesterday with federal immigration officials, who say they’re pressing ahead with his deportation as he prepares his legal fight to stay in the country.

Onyango Obama, 67, of Framingham will be required to report regularly to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials after their meeting at an undisclosed location, the agency said in a statement.

“ICE met with Mr. Onyango and his attorney today,” ICE spokesman Brian Hale said in a statement yesterday, referring to the president’s uncle by the last name the agency has on file for him. “Pursuant to this meeting, Mr. Onyango will be required to check in regularly with immigration officials pending his removal. Absent a change in his immigration status or any related court proceedings, Mr. Onyango will be required to report to ICE in the coming weeks in order to effectuate his departure from the United States.”

Obama is a Kenyan national who has lived in the U.S. since 1963 and was ordered deported in 1992, after what his attorney said was an unwitting failure to renew his visa. His immigration status was unearthed in August, when a Framingham cop arrested him for drunken driving. In a plea deal last month, he lost his license for 45 days but scored a special “hardship” license just days later, arguing he must drive to his job as a liquor store manager.

Obama’s immigration attorney, Margaret Wong, could not be reached yesterday. Wong helped Obama’s sister, Zeituni Onyango, win asylum in 2010.

Immigration experts have predicted Obama will appeal the 20-year-old deportation order and apply for asylum on the grounds that the Kenyan embassy was bombed by al-Qaeda in 1998, and that hostility toward the U.S. would put the president’s uncle in danger. The Obamas reportedly have hundreds of relatives living in western Kenya.

-— john.zaremba@bostonherald.com

ICE begins process to deport president's uncle