Justice For All’s Burma Task Force Welcomes “Homicide” Ruling, Demands Criminal and Civil Accountability Against DHS, ICE and Private Prison Operators

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 8, 2026) – The Justice For All Burma Task Force today welcomed the Erie County Medical Examiner’s determination that the death of Nurul Amin Shah Alam, a 56-year-old nearly-blind Rohingya refugee, was a homicide, and called for immediate criminal and civil action against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), ICE and private prison companies.

The medical examiner’s ruling confirms what the family and community feared: this was not a tragic accident but a preventable loss of life. Mr. Alam, a genocide survivor who was nearly blind and spoke limited English, was released from county custody on February 19, 2026. He was transferred to Border Patrol and then abandoned alone at a closed Tim Hortons on a freezing night without notifying his family, who were waiting for him. His body was found five days later. A nearly-blind person left alone at night in freezing conditions is not being “released.” That is abandonment. And abandonment that leads to death is homicide.

Burma Task Force demands an independent investigation by the New York State Attorney General into the conduct of Border Patrol and DHS components, including who authorized the drop-off and why family was not notified. It also calls for congressional oversight and investigation hearings by members of Congress representing New York to examine systemic failures at DHS, ICE and within private prison operations.

Beyond investigation, accountability must include monetary damages paid to the family for wrongful treatment and detention, a civil case against DHS, ICE and private prison operators, and criminal charges against responsible agents. Policy changes must require verified transfer to family or a support organization for any vulnerable person.

The United States formally determined Rohingya suffered genocide in 2022. That determination requires safety and dignity, not abandonment. Justice demands consequences and reform, not condolences.