The news that presidential hopeful Barack Obama has an Kenyan aunt living illegally in the Southie section of Boston has raised questions that if her nephew was an influential Senator, why could she not be helped with the legal process to become a legitimate citizen?

The Associated Press has found that the woman, Zeituni Onyango, 56, living in public housing in Boston, is in the United States illegally after an immigration judge rejected her request for asylum four years ago.

"Aunti Zeituni" was noted in Obama's memoir was instructed to leave the United States by a U.S. immigration judge who denied her asylum request, a person familiar with the matter told the AP.

The AP noted that Onyango's refusal to leave the U.S. "would represent an administrative, non-criminal violation of U.S. immigration law, meaning such cases are handled outside the criminal court system."

A spokeswoman for U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, Kelly Nantel, told the AP that the  "government does not comment on an individual's citizenship status or immigration case."

Onyango's immigration status revelation was confirmed by the Times of London earlier in the week.

The AP reaised the question that it was uncertain how Onyango even qualified for public housing with a standing deportation order.

Now a statement issued by the Obama campaign said, "Senator Obama has no knowledge of her status but obviously believes that any and all appropriate laws be followed."

The AP reports that the Obama campaign "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 claimed her employer was the Boston Housing Authority and last gave $5.