A nearly blind refugee who couldn’t speak English, use a phone, or navigate on his own was dropped off at a coffee shop five miles from his home by federal agents on a frigid February night—and found dead five days later on a Buffalo street.
Story Snapshot
- Nurul Amin Shah Alam, 56, a Rohingya refugee with near-total blindness, died days after Border Patrol released him alone at a Tim Horton’s without notifying his family or attorney
- Shah Alam spent nearly a year in custody after police tasered him for carrying a curtain rod as a makeshift cane during a disoriented walk
- The Erie County Medical Examiner ruled his death health-related, but Buffalo officials are calling for federal accountability and investigations into the release
- Local prosecutors were blindsided by the release and expected Shah Alam to remain in custody pending sentencing
A Vulnerable Man Left Stranded in Winter
Nurul Amin Shah Alam arrived in Buffalo in December 2024 seeking refuge from persecution in Myanmar as a Rohingya Muslim. The 56-year-old father of two joined a growing refugee community in western New York, fleeing a crisis that has displaced over a million people since 2017. His near-total blindness made everyday tasks daunting, yet he tried to navigate his new life with determination. That determination led to a February 2025 incident that would seal his fate—a disoriented walk where he used a curtain rod as a walking cane and ended up on a stranger’s porch, terrifying her and triggering a police response.
From Misunderstanding to Detention
Buffalo police officers confronted Shah Alam in the Riverside neighborhood, ordering him to drop what they perceived as a weapon. Unable to understand English commands and visually impaired, he failed to comply immediately. Officers tasered and beat him before arresting him on charges of assault, trespassing, and weapon possession. What began as a tragedy of miscommunication spiraled into nearly a year behind bars at Erie County Holding Center. The legal process ground slowly forward while Shah Alam languished in custody, separated from his wife and two sons.
Mostly Blind Refugee Found Dead After Border Patrol Allegedly Dropped Him Off Miles From Home #Borderpatrol #Refugees #U.S.BorderPatrol #Missingpersonhttps://t.co/RKw1nwUUkz
— 'ALLCAPS' (@TinaFra18307707) February 26, 2026
A Plea Deal That Considered Deportation Risks
On February 9, 2026, Shah Alam appeared before Judge James Bargnesi and pleaded guilty to reduced misdemeanor charges: Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Fourth Degree and Criminal Trespass in the Third Degree. Erie County District Attorney Mike Keane structured the plea carefully, factoring in Shah Alam’s medical condition, time already served, and the potential deportation consequences of harsher convictions. Bail was set at five thousand dollars, with sentencing scheduled for March 24. Keane expected Shah Alam to remain in custody until that date. Nobody anticipated what Border Patrol would do next.
Dropped Off and Disappeared
On February 19, 2026, U.S. Border Patrol agents took custody of Shah Alam after his release from Erie County on bail, executing an immigration detainer. Instead of coordinating with his family, attorney, or support network, agents transported him to a Tim Horton’s coffee shop approximately five miles from his Buffalo home. They left him there—a man who could barely see, couldn’t speak English, didn’t know how to use a phone, and had no means of navigation. Neither his Legal Aid Bureau attorneys nor his family received notification. Two days later, on February 21, his family reported him missing.
Found Dead on a Downtown Street
Late on the evening of February 24 or 25, Buffalo Police Department B District officers responded to a report of a body on Perry Street in downtown Buffalo. The deceased was identified the following morning as Nurul Amin Shah Alam. The Erie County Medical Examiner conducted an autopsy and ruled the death “health related in nature,” explicitly excluding both exposure to the harsh Buffalo winter and homicide. Homicide detectives continue investigating the timeline between his release and death, seeking to reconstruct his final days. The criminal charges against him will be dismissed upon receipt of the death certificate.
Officials Demand Answers and Accountability
The death ignited immediate outrage from New York officials who view the incident as preventable negligence. Buffalo Mayor Sean Ryan labeled Border Patrol’s actions “unprofessional and inhumane,” calling the death a preventable tragedy and demanding answers from federal authorities. New York Governor Kathy Hochul condemned Customs and Border Protection on social media, insisting that border security must include humanity and calling for accountability. Congressman Timothy Kennedy requested a comprehensive investigation spanning local, state, and federal levels. District Attorney Keane announced his office would review the case for lessons to prevent future tragedies.
Questions About Federal Protocol and Communication
The circumstances expose troubling gaps in coordination between local and federal authorities. DA Keane expressed surprise at the bail release, believing Shah Alam would remain detained through sentencing. Border Patrol’s decision to execute the immigration detainer and release Shah Alam without coordinating support raises questions about protocols for vulnerable detainees—particularly those with severe disabilities and language barriers. Customs and Border Protection has not issued a public statement addressing the incident or explaining the rationale for dropping a blind, non-English-speaking man at a coffee shop in freezing temperatures. That silence amplifies concerns about accountability.
A Refugee Community’s Eroding Trust
Buffalo’s Rohingya and broader refugee community now faces heightened anxiety about their treatment under federal immigration enforcement. Shah Alam arrived legally as a resettled refugee, yet his encounter with law enforcement spiraled into detention and ultimately death. Local refugee aid organizations that have worked to support newcomers from Myanmar and other conflict zones must now reassure families shaken by this outcome. The incident underscores the precarious position of refugees navigating American systems while coping with trauma, disability, and cultural barriers. Trust in authorities—already fragile—has been further damaged.
Broader Implications for Border Enforcement
This case spotlights systemic vulnerabilities in how immigration enforcement handles individuals with disabilities. Shah Alam’s near-blindness, limited English, and inability to use technology should have triggered protective measures, not abandonment at a commercial establishment. The incident echoes past criticisms of Border Patrol release practices, including reports of migrants dropped in remote areas without resources. Advocates argue that federal agencies lack adequate training and protocols for vulnerable populations, prioritizing enforcement efficiency over human safety. Whether this tragedy prompts policy reforms at Customs and Border Protection remains uncertain, but pressure is mounting for nationwide guidelines addressing disabled detainees.
The Medical Examiner’s Ruling and Lingering Questions
The determination that Shah Alam died from health-related causes rather than exposure or foul play raises as many questions as it answers. What specific health condition caused his death? Did the stress of being lost and disoriented exacerbate a preexisting medical issue? Could timely assistance have saved him if his family or attorney had been notified of his release? The autopsy rules out direct environmental factors like hypothermia, yet Buffalo’s February temperatures hover below freezing, creating dangerous conditions for anyone stranded outdoors. The five-mile distance between the Tim Horton’s drop-off and his home was insurmountable for a man in his condition.
A Preventable Tragedy
Nurul Amin Shah Alam fled persecution in Myanmar seeking safety in America. He received legal refugee status and resettled in Buffalo with his family, hoping to rebuild his life despite profound disability. Instead, a misunderstanding during a disoriented walk led to violent arrest, a year in detention, and ultimately a release that proved fatal. The fact that local prosecutors, his attorneys, and his family were left in the dark about his whereabouts speaks to a systemic failure of basic human decency. Common sense dictates that a nearly blind man who cannot communicate in English requires coordination and care during transitions between custody and freedom.
Federal agencies wield immense power over immigrants’ lives, and that power demands corresponding responsibility. Border Patrol’s silence in the face of mounting criticism suggests an unwillingness to acknowledge error or accept accountability. The American immigration system should protect the vulnerable, not abandon them to die alone on cold streets. Shah Alam’s death represents a moral failure that transcends politics—a failure to treat a human being with the dignity and care that basic decency requires. His widow and two sons deserve answers. Buffalo’s refugee community deserves assurance that this will not happen again. Americans deserve confidence that federal agencies enforce laws without forsaking humanity.
Sources:
Nearly blind refugee abandoned by border patrol agents found dead in Buffalo
Man missing since release to Border Patrol dead in Buffalo
