U.S. president-elect Barack Obama's aunt wants to fight a deportation order and continue to stay in the United States, her immigration lawyer says.

Zeituni Onyango, who is Obama's father's half-sister, was ordered to leave the country in 2004 by an immigration judge, who rejected her request for asylum.

A native of Kenya, Onyango is staying with relatives in Cleveland after leaving her public housing apartment in Boston, where she lived for five years.

Cleveland lawyer Margaret Wong told the Associated Press on Friday she is exploring legal options and may file a motion to reopen Onyango's case.

Onyango is upset because she believes someone leaked information about her immigration status to try to hurt Obama's candidacy, Wong said.