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3w ago

Buffalo Refugee’s Death Ruled Homicide After Border Patrol Drop-Off

State and local reviews are underway, with DHS denying fault.

Nurul Amin Shah Alam.
This image from body camera video provided by the Buffalo Police Department shows Nurul Amin Shah Alam, center, led by Buffalo Police officers, Feb. 15, 2025, in Buffalo, N.Y.
Community members and loved ones carry the body of Nurul Amin Shah Alam, a nearly blind refugee from Myanmar who was missing since his release from a jail into the custody of the U.S. Border Patrol, and who was later found dead, during his funeral service, in Buffalo, New York, U.S., February 26, 2026. REUTERS/Craig Ruttle/File Photo
Jahaira Roldan, of the New York Immigration Coalition, speaks during a protest on January 3, 2025, in Townsend Park in Albany, New York.

Overview

  • The Erie County medical examiner ruled Wednesday that Nurul Amin Shah Alam, 56, died by homicide, citing a perforated duodenal ulcer brought on by hypothermia and dehydration.
  • Border Patrol dropped the nearly blind Rohingya refugee at a Tim Hortons on Feb. 19 after his jail release, calling it a warm, safe spot near his last address, though local officials say the shop was closed.
  • He was reported missing on Feb. 22 and found dead on Feb. 24 near Buffalo’s KeyBank Center, and officials say it is unclear how he traveled there from the coffee shop.
  • New York Attorney General Letitia James and Erie County District Attorney Michael Keane are reviewing the case, and officials stressed that a medical ‘homicide’ ruling reflects death due to another’s actions or inaction and does not itself establish a crime.
  • DHS and CBP reject any responsibility and describe media accounts as a hoax, while New York leaders call for accountability and the family’s lawyer plans a civil suit, noting Shah Alam’s severe vision loss, limited English, and the lack of notice to relatives about his release.