Nearly Blind Rohingya Refugee Nurul Amin Shah Alam Found Dead After Border Patrol Release

The death of 56-year-old Nurul Amin Shah Alam, a nearly blind Rohingya refugee from Myanmar, stands as yet another example of a federal administration whose immigration policies continue to endanger undocumented and vulnerable people. After spending nearly a year in a Buffalo jail over charges that resulted in a misdemeanor plea deal, Shah Alam was transferred to U.S. Border Patrol custody because of an immigration detainer. Days later, he was found dead on a downtown street after being reported missing.

According to officials, Border Patrol agents dropped Shah Alam off at a coffee shop miles from his home on a freezing winter night. Buffalo Mayor Sean Ryan condemned the decision, calling it “inhumane.” He said, “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.” Temperatures in Buffalo were below freezing that weekend.

Federal authorities offered a starkly different account. In a statement to Investigative Post, a CBP spokesperson said agents gave him “a courtesy ride” to what they described as “a warm, safe location near his last known address.” The agency claimed, “He showed no signs of distress, mobility issues or disabilities requiring special assistance.” Yet his family disputes that framing, describing a man who could not read, write, use electronic devices, or speak English.

His son, Mohamad Faisal, said his father’s original arrest stemmed from a misunderstanding. Shah Alam, nearly blind, had been using a curtain rod as a walking stick when police confronted him. “Nobody told me or my family or attorney where my dad was dropped off,” Faisal said after his father’s release. He added that his father only wanted to “eat home-cooked food” and “be united with the rest of [his] family.”

Link: Reuters

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