ANN ARBOR, MI - Ann Arbor is taking a stand against the federally ordered deportation of a local man, saying it would be a death sentence if he's sent back to West Africa.

The City Council voted 10-0 Thursday night, Nov. 8, to approve a resolution asking the Detroit office of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or any other capable official, to issue a stay of deportation to allow Mohamed Soumah to stay here and continue receiving medical treatment for a genetic kidney disease.

The 44-year-old Guinean immigrant recently took sanctuary at Ann Arbor Friends Meeting House to avoid deportation after a social worker called the Quaker church to share Soumah's situation.

City Council Member Chuck Warpehoski, director of the Interfaith Council for Peace and Justice, said his office shares a property with the facility where Soumah is staying.

"He's been an absolutely gracious guest. He's a very kind man. We're delighted to have him as our guest," Warpehoski said, expressing hopes that Soumah will be able to stay to continue to receive "the life-preserving care that he absolutely needs."

Warpehoski introduced the resolution, which was co-sponsored by Mayor Christopher Taylor and four other council members.

It notes that Soumah's physician has said he carries a diagnosis of end-stage renal disease and is dependent on receiving dialysis treatments three times a week or else he would die.

"So this resolution is a show of support for him ... because his doctors and other medical professionals who've reviewed his case do believe for him to be deported would be a death sentence," Warpehoski said.

Soumah has been in the country for 15 years and for the last 10 years has been dealing with hereditary kidney failure.

"He requires dialysis treatments three times a week and these are treatments that are not adequately available in his home country," Warpehoski said. "The lack of adequate treatment facilities in his home country is why his mother died and it's a real threat to his life. He has a deportation order from ICE."

Soumah was married to a U.S. citizen, from whom he is now separated. He has two children who are both citizens and living with their mother.

"I've been working. Never committed any crime," he said tearfully in a recent interview after going into sanctuary. "(I'm) paying my taxes. And now I'm going to be deported."

Soumah was admitted to the U.S. in 2002, according to an ICE spokesperson, and "violated the terms of his admission by remaining in the U.S. beyond his authorized term."

In 2011, an immigration judge ordered him removed, but he was placed on supervision because the agency was "unable to obtain a travel document from his home country," the spokesperson said.

He is now considered a "fugitive."

"In an exercise of discretion, ICE had previously allowed Mr. Soumah to remain free while arrangements were being made for his departure from the U.S.," ICE said in a statement. "Mr. Soumah failed to report as instructed for his removal and is now considered a fugitive alien."

ICE has a policy against conducting enforcement activity at sensitive locations unless "exigent circumstances" exist. Sensitive locations under ICE policy include schools, places of worship, hospitals, public rallies and demonstrations, and more.

ICE declined to comment on the City Council's passage of the resolution in support of Soumah.

Warpehoski said the Ann Arbor Friends Meeting House is providing sanctuary with the support of 11 other local congregations and faith-based organizations.

"His residence at the Ann Arbor Friends Meeting provides a certain amount of security for him," Warpehoski said.

"This is obviously not being done in a clandestine way," he added. "When he took up residence there, he informed ICE of his location and it's not being done to hide his whereabouts from ICE."

Mary Anne Perrone of the Washtenaw Congregational Sanctuary, an interfaith coalition behind the local sanctuary movement, said there are very few dialysis machines in Guinea and when they malfunction, without replacements on hand, it can be deadly.

Soumah has worked in a cafeteria at the University of Michigan and later moved into a custodial role, which paid more, Perrone said.

"He has been working in the United States with permission for at least seven years ... each year, he applied to have it renewed and it was ... until this year. They just said no," Perrone said.

MLive reporter Dana Afana contributed to this story.