A criminal banned from the city centre could be deported as a judge warned he would drag a government minister to court if the process is not completed.
Abdul Osman, 42, was jailed for 21 months after being found guilty of breaching a criminal behaviour order which prevented him from entering the city.
Manchester Crown Court heard that Osman was 'part of the problem' in Chinatown, where drugs are said to be rife and businesses face associated anti-social behaviour.
Judge Anthony Cross QC had previously been left baffled after the Home Office said Osman's previous catalogue of offences were described as 'low level', so he didn't meet the criteria for deportation.
Osman, who has 'genuine mental health problems', told the judge he wants to leave the UK and return to his home country, as his mother still lives there.
He has been in the UK as a refugee since 2005 after arriving from Sudan, and has had more than 30 criminal offences recorded against him including for assaulting police officers and members of the public.
Judge Cross said he wanted to help Osman break the cycle of homelessness, committing crime and drug addiction.
He said: "I am concerned with protecting the public, protecting police officers, citizens of this city and the rehabilitation of the defendant."
The court heard from Tyson Hepple, the director general of Immigration Enforcement at the Home Office, who was asked about the process to deport Osman.
He said: "It is unusual for us to talk to another government while someone still holds refugee status."
But now Osman has renounced his status as a refugee, Mr Hepple said the Home Office can now speak to the Sudanese authorities to see whether they will agree to the deportation.
Saying he understood the judge's frustration, Mr Hepple added: "But there are processes we will have to follow to ensure that we can help Mr Osman be returned to the Sudan."
The judge ordered that he be provided with weekly updates into Osman's situation, and said if there are any problems the case will be brought back to court.
Judge Cross added: "I am very anxious to avoid that he does not leave one of Her Majesty's jails and then be found on the streets of Manchester.
"I won't just stop at Mr Hepple, I will have the minister here."
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