Mitt Romney wants to deport Obama's uncle

[IRG CommandoJoe]

Mitt Romney Says ‘Yes’ To Deporting President Obama’s Uncle

Presidential candidate Mitt Romney told a Boston talk radio host on Wednesday that he supports the deportation of President Obama’s Kenyan-born uncle who was arrested this fall on drunken driving charges in Massachusetts.

When asked by Boston radio personality Howie Carr whether the president’s relative, Onyango Obama, should be deported, Romney said, “the answer is ‘yes.’”

“Well, if the laws of the United States say he should be deported, and I presume they do, then of course we should follow those laws,” Romney said. “And the answer is ‘yes.’”

When Carr brought up Onyango Obama case, Romney first sought clarification: “Who is Uncle Omar, Howie?” the former Massachusetts governor asked the radio host.

Carr explained that the uncle, nicknamed “Omar,” was recently arrested in Framingham, Mass.

“Now he’s claiming he’s got a Social Security number and drivers’ license and no one knows how he got them,” Carr told Romney, “but they’re apparently legit even though he’s in the country illegally.” (Onyango Obama had reportedly defied a 1992 deportation order.)

“Uncle Omar,” who is the half-brother of the president’s father, was arrested on Aug. 24 for driving under the influence, failing to yield and negligent operation of a vehicle. At the police station, he told an officer, “I think I will call the White House,” according to a police report.

A lawyer for Onyango Obama appeared in Framingham District Court in Massachusetts last month to tell a judge that he plans to file a motion to suppress the traffic stop.

According to the Associated Press: “Obama initially was held without bail on a detainer from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials on allegations he violated an order to return to Kenya 20 years ago. He was subsequently released and ordered to regularly check in with immigration officials.”

[Nieztchean Uber-Amoeba]

Is this really news? He didn't seem to know much of the case, and when a radio personality gave him a (possibly inaccurate, I don't know the details myself) summary, he said 'If the laws say he should be deported, then he should be deported'. That's not an unreasonable or particularly abnormal stance to take.

[Terralthra]

Yeah, pretty much. This is a non-issue, and Romney's only misstep was to comment at all.