Husband of American Man Denied Asylum

A Massachusetts man says his Brazilian husband has been denied asylum that would have allowed them to be reunited in the United States.

Tim Coco said Monday that the Obama administration did not act on the case of Genesio "Junior" Oliveira by a Friday deadline, reports the Associated Press. As a result, Oliveira will remain in Brazil.

Oliveira had sought asylum on grounds of having been raped as a teenager in his native country.

Oliveira was denied asylum previously in 2002. Even after he married Coco in 2005, Oliveira lost an appeal in 2007 and was forced to return to Brazil.

In March, Massachusetts senator John Kerry asked U.S. attorney general Eric Holder to grant Oliveira asylum on humanitarian grounds.