Burma Task Force Calls for Immediate Federal Investigation into the Death of Blind Rohingya Refugee in Buffalo

WASHINGTON D.C, (Feb. 27, 2026) – Justice For All’s Burma Task Force is horrified by the death of Nurul Amin Shah Alam, a 56-year-old Rohingya refugee who was nearly blind, spoke limited English and was found dead five days after the U.S. Border Patrol agents dropped him off alone at a Tim Hortons on a freezing night without notifying his family, who were waiting for him at the jail.

According to reporting and local officials, Mr. Alam was  released from county custody on Feb. 19, 2026, transferred to federal authorities, then ultimately left at a closed business in an unfamiliar area after immigration authorities determined he was not deportable. His body was later found near downtown Buffalo.

This is not a “mistake.” It is a foreseeable outcome of systemic negligence at the intersection of disability, refugee trauma and immigration enforcement. A blind or nearly blind person, alone, at night, in freezing conditions, without family notification, language access or verified safe transport is not being “released.” That is abandonment. It represents a failure of basic human rights and disability accommodation.

For nearly a decade, Justice For All’s Burma Task Force has documented the persecution of the Rohingya, filed submissions to the International Criminal Court, and advocated before Congress and the United Nations. We have stood with Rohingya families in Cox’s Bazar. Today, we stand with the Rohingya community in Buffalo.

We demand immediate accountability:

• An independent investigation into the conduct of Border Patrol and any DHS components involved, including who authorized the drop-off, what protocols were followed, and why family or counsel were not notified.
• A civil rights and disability compliance review to determine whether federal authorities violated obligations to provide reasonable accommodations and meaningful language access.
• Immediate policy changes requiring verified transfer to family, counsel or an approved support organization for any vulnerable person, including those with disabilities, limited English proficiency or documented trauma history.
• Members of Congress representing New York to conduct oversight hearings.

Rohingya refugees are genocide survivors. The United States formally determined that Rohingya suffered genocide and crimes against humanity at the hands of Burma’s military in 2022. That determination must mean something in practice: safety, dignity and protection for Rohingya families resettled here.

We call on President Trump and the Department of Homeland Security to ensure full transparency, accountability and enforceable safeguards so that no other refugee with a disability is placed in harm’s way by federal indifference. We also call on Congress to exercise oversight until these policies are changed and compliance is enforceable.

Justice demands more than condolences. Justice demands consequences and reform.

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