Nearly blind refugee abandoned by US border patrol found dead in Buffalo | US immigration

A nearly blind Burmese refugee who was abandoned by border patrol agents has been found dead in Buffalo, New York, city officials confirmed.

Nurul Amin Shah Alam, 56, had been missing since 19 February, when he was dropped off by border patrol following his release from Erie county holding center, according to the Investigative Post.

A city hall spokesperson, Ian Ott, told the Investigative Post that homicide detectives are “investigating the circumstances and timeframe of events leading up to his death, following his release from custody”.

Shah Alam had been in the Erie county holding center for the past year, after being arrested by Buffalo police in 2025 on charges of assault, trespassing and possession of a weapon. The arrest stemmed from an incident in which Shah Alam got lost while on a walk and ended up on the porch of a woman’s home. He had been using a curtain rod as a walking stick, according to his attorney.

The woman called the police, and when Shah Alam did not follow police commands to drop his curtain rod, they tasered and beat him, his attorney said.

He was released on bail, and then transferred to border patrol custody.

Border patrol agents then dropped him off at a Tim Hortons about five miles from his home. Neither his attorney nor his family were notified of his release.

“We are saddened to learn that our client, Nurul Amin Shah Alam, was found deceased last night in the City of Buffalo,” the Legal Aid Bureau of Buffalo said in a statement shared with the Guardian.

The organization said that they have received several inquiries regarding more information on Shah Alam, and due to ethical obligations, they are unable to provide any further comment at this time.

Michael Niezgoda, a spokesperson for US Customs and Border Protection, the parent agency of border patrol, did not immediately respond on Wednesday to a request for comment from the Guardian.

Shah Alam arrived in Buffalo 15 months ago, in December 2024. He is survived by his wife and two sons.