While her nephew occupies a million dollar house and reported income of more than $4 million last year, Obama's Aunt Zeituni Onyango lives in public housing in Boston, hiding out from immigration authorities who denied her request for asylum from Kenya 4 years ago.

A statement given to the AP by Obama's campaign said, "Senator Obama has no knowledge of her status but obviously believes that any and all appropriate laws be followed." Traveling with Obama in Nevada, campaign strategist David Axelrod declined to elaborate on the statement, but said: "I think people are suspicious about stories that surface in the last 72 hours of a national campaign."

The campaign said it was returning $260 that Onyango had contributed in small increments to Obama's presidential bid over several months. Federal election lawBoston Housing Authority and last gave $5 on Sept. 19. prohibits foreigners from making political donations. Onyango listed her employer as the

Onyango, 56, is part of Obama's large paternal family, with many related to him by blood whom he never knew growing up.