Buffalo authorities have confirmed the death of a visually impaired refugee from Myanmar who went missing after federal agents released him from custody last week.
The body of 56-year-old Nurul Amin Shah Alam was discovered by Buffalo police officers on Tuesday evening on a city street, according to department officials.
Shah Alam had been unaccounted for since February 19, when Border Patrol agents transported him from county jail to a coffee shop located several miles from his residence. He had spent nearly a year in jail while facing criminal charges that were ultimately resolved through a misdemeanor plea agreement.
Investigators from the homicide unit are now examining the circumstances surrounding Shah Alam’s death, police confirmed.
Buffalo’s Democratic Mayor Sean Ryan issued a statement Wednesday condemning what he called preventable circumstances leading to the refugee’s death, describing federal immigration officials’ actions as lacking humanity.
“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,” Ryan said. “That decision from U.S. Customs and Border Protection was unprofessional and inhumane.”
CBP officials have not yet provided a response to requests for comment from our newsroom.
However, in a statement provided to Buffalo-based Investigative Post, a CBP representative explained that agents transported Shah Alam to the coffee shop after determining his refugee status prevented deportation.
“Border Patrol agents offered him 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,” the agency said. “He showed no signs of distress, mobility issues or disabilities requiring special assistance.”
Weather conditions in Buffalo, situated close to the Canadian border, dropped below freezing over the past weekend.
According to the Erie County District Attorney’s Office, Shah Alam was taken into custody one year ago following an incident that caused minor injuries to two Buffalo police officers. He was granted bail release this month after accepting the plea arrangement.
Following his arrest, Immigration and Customs Enforcement filed an immigration detainer, which is an official request to assume custody of a non-citizen upon their scheduled release from criminal detention.
The Erie County Sheriff’s Office contacted Border Patrol before Shah Alam’s release in response to the immigration detainer, a sheriff’s spokesperson confirmed.
Mohamad Faisal, Shah Alam’s son, explained in a text message that his father’s arrest stemmed from a miscommunication with law enforcement officers.
Shah Alam, who had no English language skills, had been taking a walk while using a curtain rod he had purchased as a makeshift walking aid, according to Faisal.
His father became disoriented and wandered onto private property, prompting the homeowner to contact police, Faisal explained. When Shah Alam failed to comprehend officers’ instructions to put down the curtain rod, they placed him under arrest.
After his father’s release last week, “Nobody told me or my family or attorney where my dad was dropped off,” Faisal said.
According to Faisal, his father was unable to read, write, or operate electronic devices.
Shah Alam’s only desires were to “eat home-cooked food” and “be united with the rest of [his] family,” his son shared.
The family belongs to the Arakan Rohingya refugee community, Faisal noted.
