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By Andrew Stanton
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The death of Nurul Amin Shah Alam, a 56-year-old nearly blind refugee from Myanmar who was left at a doughnut shop by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents in February, has been ruled a homicide, according to authorities.
A CBP spokesperson said in a statement to Newsweek: "Another hoax being peddled by the media and sanctuary politicians to demonize our law enforcement. This death had NOTHING to do with Border Patrol. Mr. Shah Alam passed almost A WEEK AFTER he was released by Border Patrol—he also had a serial violent criminal rap sheet. Mr. Shah Alam's criminal history included charges for assaulting a first responder with intent to cause injury, criminal possession of a weapon, menacing with a weapon, resisting arrest, criminal trespass, and obstructing governmental administration."
Why It Matters
His death has drawn new scrutiny toward CBP, which has faced criticism over its tactics since the fatal shooting of two American citizens in Minneapolis earlier this year.
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What To Know
The Erie County Medical Examiner's Office ruled his death a homicide, caused by complications of a perforated duodenal ulcer, precipitated by hypothermia and dehydration.
CBP previously said he "showed no signs of distress, mobility issues or disabilities requiring special assistance" when he was dropped off at a Tim Hortons near downtown Buffalo on February 19.
Shah Alam had been released from a county jail and then briefly detained by Border Patrol until the agency determined he was not eligible for deportation. He was reported missing on February 22 and found dead two days later.
The agency has said they chose to drop him off there because it was safe and warm, as well as near his last address. Buffalo Mayor Sean Ryan, however, has said the restaurant was closed at the time.
Representative Timothy Kennedy, a Democrat representing Buffalo in Congress, wrote that the examiner "confirmed what we suspected."
"Mr. Shah Alam would be alive today with his family if he had access to medical care. Instead, he was callously abandoned on a cold winter night by Donald Trump's Department of Homeland Security," he wrote in a statement. "In light of this determination, DHS must fully cooperate with New York State Attorney General [Letitia] James, and newly-confirmed DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin must order an independent and transparent investigation."
Who Was Nurul Amin Shah Alam?
Shah Alam is a member of the Rohingya ethnic minority, who are viewed as a persecuted group denied rights in Myanmar. The organization Human Rights Watch said they are "effectively denied citizenship" and are "one of the largest stateless populations in the world."
He left Myanmar years ago to work in construction in Malaysia. He received approval to come to the U.S. as a refugee in December 2024 with his wife and two children.
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He spent about a year in jail on felony assault charges after a 2025 struggle with police, who accused him of biting two officers. Advocates for his family said he did not understand officers' commands to drop curtain rods he was carrying. He pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges and was released on February 19.
CBP Faces Criticism Over Shah Alam's Death
Ryan said in a press statement: "The preventable death of Nurul Amin Shah Alam is deeply disturbing and a dereliction of duty by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
"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."
CBP has said Shah Alam "chose to accept to a coffee shop, determined to be a warm, safe location near his last known address, rather than be released directly from the Border Patrol station."
"He showed no signs of distress, mobility issues, or disabilities requiring special assistance," added the agency spokesman.
DHS pushed back against criticism in a February 27 post to X.
"This individual was arrested by local police. This individual accepted a courtesy ride from Border Patrol to this location, a ride that did not have to be provided. Would the Washington Post have rather us force him to find transportation from the station after his arrest by local police? This individual tragically died almost a week after this courtesy ride. It is ridiculous to blame Border Patrol for an individual's death a week after their last interaction with them," DHS wrote.
The New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC) has called for a "full investigation into the negligence and bad faith actions of any agency involved in Alam's death."
"It is inhumane and unconscionable that Border Patrol would abandon a blind man miles away from his home, without contacting anyone about what they had done. This inept and negligent action resulted in a man's death—a wife left without her husband, and kids left without their father," Murad Awawdeh, president and CEO of NYIC, wrote in a statement.
This article includes reporting by the Associated Press.
Update 4/1/26, 5:23 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
Update 4/2/26, 9:53 a.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
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