A 56‑year‑old refugee who was nearly blind was found dead in downtown Buffalo days after being released into the care of U.S. Border Patrol, city officials said.
Nurul Amin Shah Alam, a Rohingya refugee from Myanmar, was reported missing on February 19 after Border Patrol agents took him from the Erie County Holding Center following his release on bail, Investigative Post reported.
He was left at a Tim Hortons café about 5 miles from his home in the city’s Broadway-Fillmore neighbourhood without his family or lawyer being notified, his attorney, Benjamin Macaluso, told the local news outlet.
“Mr Shah Alam was identified by the Erie County Medical Examiner earlier today and his family was subsequently notified,” City Hall spokesperson Ian Ott said in a statement.
The cause of death was determined by the examiner to be "health-related in nature," ruling out death by exposure and homicide, added Ott.
A Customs and Border Protection spokesman told Newsweek CBP agents had confirmed Shah Alam entered the U.S. as a refugee and wasn’t "amenable to removal", then gave him a “courtesy ride” to a nearby coffee shop—saying he appeared fine and did not need special assistance.
Buffalo Mayor Sean M. Ryan said in a press statement: "The preventable death of Nurul Amin Shah Alam is deeply disturbing and a dereliction of duty by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection."
"A vulnerable man—nearly blind and unable to speak English—was left alone on a cold winter night with no known attempt to leave him in a safe, secure location. That decision from U.S. Customs and Border Protection was unprofessional and inhumane."
The CBP disputes that account. "On February 19, Erie County Sheriff’s Department alerted Border Patrol about a non-citizen in their custody," the CBP spokesman in an emailed statement.
"Our agents confirmed that Mr Shah Alam entered the United States as a refugee on December 24, 2024 and was not amenable to removal.
"Border Patrol agents offered Mr Alam a courtesy ride, which he chose to accept to a coffee shop, determined to be a warm, safe location near his last known address, rather than be released directly from the Border Patrol station.
"He showed no signs of distress, mobility issues, or disabilities requiring special assistance," added the agency spokesman.
Shah Alam was completely blind in one eye, had blurry vision for several feet in the other and limited English, Macaluso told Investigative Post. Shah Alam had lived in Buffalo for about 15 months after arriving as a refugee in December 2024, according to the outlet.
His legal case stemmed from an incident in 2025 in which he became lost while taking a walk, entered a stranger’s property, and was arrested after officers confronted him with commands he did not understand, according to the Investigative Post.
He was later charged with trespassing and weapons possession related to a curtain rod he used as a walking stick.
After a plea agreement, he was freed from county custody on bail this month, and an immigration detainer prompted local sheriffs to contact Border Patrol. Rather than being taken to an immigration detention facility, he was transferred to Border Patrol custody and dropped off at the café, his attorney said.
Border Patrol along with Immigration and Customs Enforcement have been at the forefront of the Trump administration's clampdown on migration, carrying out increased arrests across the nation under an aggressive deportation strategy.
The agencies have faced a flurry of allegations of misconduct.
Shah Alam had lived in Buffalo for 15 months, arriving in December 2024, and is survived by his wife and two sons, according to reporting by Investigative Post.
The U.S. Border Patrol deferred all further questions to the Buffalo Police Department.
This is a developing story; more to follow.
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