Near-blind Rohingya refugee found dead after US border agents release him out in cold

A 56-year-old Rohingya refugee from Myanmar, Nurul Amin Shah Alam, was found dead on a street in Buffalo, New York, after going missing for a week. Shah Alam, who was nearly blind and could not speak English, had been released from the custody of US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on February 19. According to city authorities, federal agents dropped him off at a coffee shop located miles from his residence following his release from a county jail, where he had spent nearly a year awaiting trial on charges that ended in a misdemeanor plea deal.

Buffalo Mayor Sean Rhyan issued a strong statement blaming CBP for a 'preventable' death resulting from 'unprofessional and inhumane' decision-making. He emphasized that a vulnerable individual was abandoned on a cold winter night with no effort to ensure his safety or secure location. The Buffalo Police Department confirmed the body was found on Tuesday evening, and homicide detectives have opened an investigation into the circumstances surrounding Shah Alam's death. The incident has intensified scrutiny of border enforcement practices and the treatment of vulnerable migrants, particularly those with severe disabilities, during release procedures.