At the 10-minute proceeding, the immigration judge, Leonard Shapiro, scheduled a full hearing with witnesses for Feb. 4, 2010.

In 2002, Onyango, the half-sister of Obama’s late father, first applied for political asylum “due to violence in Kenya,” according to a statement released by her attorneys after the hearing.

Her attorneys won’t discuss the new evidence they plan to present in arguing for asylum, saying only that the immigration lawyers hired by Onyango’s relatives in Cleveland are “working hard to keep matters in the court system and towards a favorable outcome for Ms. Onyango.”