A 56-year-old nearly blind Rohingya refugee from Myanmar died in Buffalo, New York, after U.S. Border Patrol agents released him into freezing nighttime conditions without notifying his family. Nurul Amin Shah Alam had arrived in the U.S. as a legally admitted refugee in December 2024. His death has prompted calls for investigation from local and state officials.
Nurul Amin Shah Alam, a 56-year-old Rohingya refugee from Myanmar, arrived in New York in December 2024 as a legally admitted refugee. The Arakan Rohingya are a Muslim minority group that the United Nations has called “the most persecuted minority in the world,” with the U.S. government formally declaring their situation a genocide. Shah Alam had previously fled to Malaysia, where he worked grueling jobs for a decade. He was nearly blind, relied on curtain rods as walking sticks, spoke little English, and could not read. New to the harsh Buffalo winters, he struggled to adapt to his new surroundings. Last year, Shah Alam became lost and wandered onto private property. The homeowner called police, who mistook his curtain rods for weapons. Unable to understand commands, he was Tasered, beaten, and nearly shot, leading to his arrest and a year in detention. His family and attorneys hesitated to post bail, fearing transfer to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody and potential deportation. Upon release after a plea deal, Border Patrol agents were waiting. Deeming him “not amenable to removal,” they left him at a closed coffee shop at night in below-freezing temperatures, miles from his family, without informing anyone. His body was discovered on February 24, 2026, following a five-day search. Buffalo Mayor Sean Ryan, the New York attorney general, and several U.S. representatives have called for an investigation into the incident. At Shah Alam’s funeral, a family spokesperson stated, “We do not want his death to just go to waste.” The case occurs amid broader concerns over U.S. immigration enforcement, including the Trump administration's termination of Temporary Protected Status for Burma, affecting over 3,000 immigrants, and a rising death toll in detention centers.
