Blind refugee dies days after Border Patrol release: Here’s what happened
A nearly blind refugee died this week in Buffalo, New York, after Border Patrol agents released him from custody. Now, investigators are looking into what happened, what caused his death and why he was left alone outside a coffee shop.
The story dates back to February 2025, when the refugee, Nurul Amin Shah Alam, was arrested for trespassing and assault. The Burmese refugee spent a year in jail before being released to Border Patrol, and was eventually left about five miles away from his home.
He was reported missing, and five days later, he was found dead. Here’s what happened.
The initial arrest
On Feb. 15, 2025, Shah Alam left his home to go for a walk, with help from a walking stick, and pick up a curtain rod from a nearby store. While out walking, the weather took a turn so Shah Alam turned back to head home.
His attorney, Benjamin Macaluso, told The Investigative Post that that’s when Shah Alam got lost. He wandered into a woman’s backyard, who then called the police, saying a man had opened her back gate, let her dog out and damaged her shed door with his walking stick.
When police arrived, Shah Alam reportedly was “swinging” his curtain rod and walking stick “in a menacing manner.” Macaluso said Shah Alam was simply startled by the homeowner’s dog and the commotion.
Believing Shah Alam meant to intend harm, the officers on the scene pulled out their tasers and shouted at Shah Alam to drop his curtain rod. When he failed to do so, officers fired their tasers and ultimately tackled Shah Alam to the ground.
He was ultimately arrested and charged with assault, trespass and possession of a weapon.
Hearings and immigration fears
Shah Alam went to trial, and his bail was set at $5,000. A family friend told The Investigative Post that the family was afraid that if they posted his bail, he’d be taken into Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody, so they chose to keep him in jail.
Months of hearings continued until prosecutors offered Shah Alam a plea deal.
“My decision was the result of a comprehensive evaluation of his conduct, criminal history, acceptance of responsibility, medical condition, time served in pre-trial custody, and the proposed resolution,” District Attorney Michael Keane said, according to The Investigative Post. “I also considered the significant collateral consequences that would result from a felony conviction — including mandatory deportation.”
Shah Alam ultimately pleaded guilty to two charges: trespassing and misdemeanor possession of a weapon. Neither charge ultimately leads to mandatory deportation or federal detention.
Shah Alam’s release and disappearance
On Feb. 19, Shah Alam was released from jail and immediately taken into Border Patrol custody after a federal agency filed an immigration detainer. It’s unclear whether ICE or Border Patrol filed the detainer.
Border Patrol took Shah Alam to an immigration facility, but quickly learned he wasn’t eligible for deportation.
As this was going on, Shah Alam’s family was waiting to hear of his release so they could pick him up from the jail. The family’s attorney said they were unaware he’d been handed over to Border Patrol.
After Border Patrol learned Shah Alam could not be deported, the Department of Homeland Security says agents offered him a “courtesy ride.” Shah Alam accepted the ride, asking to be dropped off at a coffee shop near his home rather than being released directly from the Border Patrol station.
Officers drove to the shop, Tim Hortons, around 8:15 p.m. and dropped him off, despite the location being closed. Google indicates the coffeehouse closed at 7 p.m., but the drive-thru is open 24-hours.
Agents drove off a minute later, leaving Shah Alam outside. The Department of Homeland Security said at the time of the drop off, Shah Alam showed “no signs of distress, mobility issues, or disabilities requiring special assistance.”
Surveillance video from Tim Horton’s shows Shah Alam walking past the drive-thru, pacing back and forth in front of the locked front door, and eventually walking through the parking lot toward a Family Dollar store.
Shah Alam’s family eventually learned of his release and went to look for him. They spent the weekend searching his old neighborhood and the surrounding areas before reporting Shah Alam missing a few days later.
Shah Alam found dead
Five days later, Shah Alam was found dead near the KeyBank Center, the downtown arena where the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres play. The location is miles from where Border Patrol dropped him off.
According to The Washington Post, the county medical examiner has not established a manner or cause of death, and the investigation is ongoing.
While Shah Alam was missing, temperatures in Buffalo fell below freezing, and the area received some light snow.
State and local officials are now calling for an investigation into why he was left at a coffee shop and why his family wasn’t initially contacted about his release.
“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,” Buffalo Mayor Sean Ryan said in a statement.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul also addressed the situation, saying Border Patrol agents “released a blind father from custody and left him to find his way home alone… he never made it. New Yorkers deserve answers and accountability.”
What we still don’t know
While many details have come to light regarding Shah Alam’s disappearance and death, a few questions remain unanswered.
First, it’s unclear to what extent his visual impairment was. Second, what was his health condition before he was released? And what happened immediately after he was released into Border Patrol custody?
Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
