• A nearly blind Rohingya refugee, Nurul Amin Shah Alam, was found dead in Buffalo after being released by US Border Patrol.
• Shah Alam's death has sparked outrage over the handling of vulnerable refugees by U.S. immigration authorities.
• Buffalo Mayor Sean Ryan called Shah Alam's death "preventable" and criticized federal decision-making.
• His family was not informed of his release and the circumstances that led to his abandonment.
• The investigation into his death has garnered attention from local representatives and community activists.

Nurul Amin Shah Alam, a 56-year-old nearly blind refugee from Myanmar, was found dead in a downtown Buffalo street after U.S. Border Patrol agents released him at a coffee shop miles from his home. This incident occurred following his release from a county jail, where he spent nearly a year awaiting trial on criminal charges, which he ultimately resolved with a misdemeanor plea deal, according to SCMP and Reuters.

Shah Alam was reported missing on February 19 after being dropped off by Border Patrol agents. He had been placed in custody due to an immigration detainer issued by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The agency stated that agents determined he could not be deported due to his refugee status, yet the conditions surrounding his drop-off were severely criticized, as he was left in an unsafe environment without the support he required, according to Al Jazeera and India Times.

Buffalo Mayor Sean Ryan described Shah Alam's death as “preventable” and attributed it to “inhumane decision-making” by federal immigration authorities. He emphasized that Shah Alam was a vulnerable individual who could not speak English and needed assistance, noting that he was left alone on a cold winter night with no apparent safety measures, according to CBS News and SCMP.

Moreover, the incident has prompted calls for a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding Shah Alam's death. Local representatives, including U.S. Rep. Tim Kennedy, have expressed outrage and demanded accountability from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, labeling the situation a “horrific tragedy,” according to Reuters and Al Jazeera.

Family members stated that they were unaware of where Shah Alam had been left after his release. Mohamad Faisal, one of his children, shared that Shah Alam had been mistaken for trespassing when he wandered onto private property while using a curtain rod as a walking stick due to his impaired vision. This misunderstanding led to his arrest, and during the nearly year-long incarceration, his family had hoped for better treatment; however, they received none upon his release, according to SCMP and India Times.