Mohamed Wins New Level of Freedom. Come Join Him in Celebration

Washtenaw Congregational Sanctuary and Ann Arbor Friends invite you to come celebrate the newfound freedom of Sanctuary guest Mohamed Soumah.

Date:               Tuesday June 1

Time:              11 a.m.

Location:        Front yard of Ann Arbor Friends Meeting House

Address:         1420 Hill St, Ann Arbor, MI 48104

Theme:           Freedom Celebration Press Conference

Mohamed has been living in sanctuary at the Ann Arbor Friends Meeting House since October 2018. Under the harsh policies of the former president, he faced immediate deportation to his home country of Guinea in West Africa.

Deportation would have meant certain death as Mohamed is a dialysis patient who requires treatments three times a week. The services that he needs to keep him alive are not available in Guinea.

But under new guidelines from the administration in Washington, ICE agreed to discuss with Mohamed a new arrangement.

Thirty supporters waited outside the ICE office in Detroit in a quiet vigil of solidarity and support, as he went into his meeting on Tuesday May 25. He was accompanied only by his attorney, Sabrina Balgamwalla, director of the Wayne State University Immigration Law Clinic.

They emerged from the meetings forty-five minutes later. His look of relief was confirmed by his first words: “I am relieved.”

Mohamed was given an order of supervision which requires him to check in virtually or on a periodic basis, but allows him to take walks through the neighborhood or go to a store without fear of immediate deportation.

“Now I can go anywhere. This is a literal relief. I appreciate you all showing up. It means a lot to me. Since I have been here, you have been as a family I never had.”

His next ICE appointment is August 17 but, according to Balgamwalla, this is just a standard check-in. “He was given an order of supervision, like we wanted. He’ll be under regular supervision. There were no special conditions.”

She added, “They were impressed that he had his paperwork.”

For more information, including about speakers, contact Rich Stahler-Sholk, rsholk@gmail.com, 734-660-1647.

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