Senator Barack Obama’s presidential campaign said the presidential nominee had no idea about the fact that a Kenyan aunt of his has been residing in the United States illegally. Obama’s campaign underlined its position that “any and all appropriate laws” should be followed.

"Sen. Obama has no knowledge of her status but obviously believes that any and all appropriate laws [should] be followed," campaign spokesman Bill Burton said.

Obama’s aunt, 56-year-old Zeituni Onyango, has reportedly applied for political asylum in 2004 but a court refused to grant her the privilege. Despite the rejection, the half-sister of Obama's Kenyan father continued to reside in a public housing complex in South Boston, The Associated Press news agency reported.

The disclosure about Obama’s allegedly illegal immigrant comes just a few days before Election Day. Democratic U.S. Rep. John Conyers of Michigan asked the Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff in a letter to initiate an investigation to find out whether someone deliberately revealed the information to the media in order to damage Obama’s image right before the election.

Senator Obama has met her aunt Onyango during a trip to Kenya where his father was born. The Illinois Senator hasn’t heard from her in the past two years, Obama’s campaign told the media.

Obama’s campaign said it will refund $265 in donations from Onyango as foreign nationals aren’t allowed to contribute to U.S. presidential campaigns.

John McCain’s campaign did no comment on the matter arguing that it was a “family affair.”