Abdoul Abdi to be set free, but his fight to stay in Canada isn't over

A former child refugee from Somalia at risk of being deportedwill soon be set free, but his fight to stay in Canada isn't over.

Abdoul Abdi, who spent the last week and a half detained on immigration groundsin jails in the Maritimes and Ontario after serving a four-year prison sentence, could be released as early as tomorrow, according to his lawyer, Ben Perryman.

On Monday, anImmigration and Refugee Board member orderedthat Abdibe released from immigration detention and transferred to a halfway house in Toronto.

"For Mr. Abdi it means that he can have his liberty back," said Perryman. "Our position all along was that this detention has been both unlawful and unnecessary, and that it's deprived Mr. Abdi of his liberty."

The federal government wants Abdisent back to Somalia because of his criminal past and the fact he's not a Canadian citizen.

The 24-year-old arrived in Nova Scotia at the age of six with his aunts and sister, and was put in the care of the Department of Community Services, which never applied for citizenship on his behalf.

The difference between the hearing Monday and Abdi's first detentionhearing last weekis that representatives of Public Safety Minister RalphGoodaleagreed with his release, saidPerryman.

But Canada still wants him sent back to Somalia, he said.

"So we are still in the same position we were before, it's just that Mr. Abdi doesn't have to be in jail while that battle continues."

In an email to CBC News, a spokesperson for Goodale's department said it won'tcomment on specific cases due toprivacy and that Canada's immigration system "has a robust assessment process and multiple safeguards."

Abdi was supposed to go to a halfway house when he got out of prison on Jan.4 after serving about fouryearsfor crimes that included aggravated assault.

Perrymancontinues to fight Abdi's deportation inFederal Court.

Abdi'scase has continued to receivenational attention, and both Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeilhave expressed concern.

Perryman said what he finds "unfathomable" is that even with this support the deportation process continues.

"If the highest leaders in our land at the federal and provincial level are signalling that, then there needs to be a response from Minister Goodale to end what Mr.Abdi is experiencing, and do the just thing, and I would say the moral thing, and the thing that many Canadians across the country are calling for," he said.