Death of refugee released by Border Patrol agents in New York ruled a homicide
Buffalo, New York - A New York state medical examiner recently ruled that the death of a nearly-blind refugee following his release from Border Patrol custody was a homicide.
During a press conference on Wednesday, Erie County Health Commissioner Dr. Gale Burstein explained that she had determined Nurul Amin Shah Alam's death was caused by a "stress ulcer" that burst open, leading to a serious "medical emergency."
Dr. Burstein said that the stress was exacerbated by "hypothermia, being in very cold temperatures, and dehydration, so no access to liquids."
On February 19, 2025, Shah Alam was released from jail, where he had been detained after getting into a physical confrontation with police.
It's unclear how it played out, but border patrol officers drove Shah Alam to a Tim Horton's donut shop instead of his home, which was five miles away.
While the agents claim they dropped him off at a "warm, safe location," the shop was said to have been closed, and Shah Alam was found dead five days later.
The incident comes as President Donald Trump has deployed federal immigration agents to Democrat-led cities across the country. Several left-wing officials and lawmakers have publicly criticized the agents, including New York Senator Chuck Schumer and state Attorney General Letitia James.
In a statement on Wednesday, Buffalo Mayor Sean Ryan called the agents' conduct "unprofessional," and said the department must "answer for how and why this happened."
In an X post, New York state Governor Kathy Hochul described it as a "cruel, inhumane killing" at the hands of Trump's federal agents.
Why was Nurul Amin Shah Alam arrested?
Shah Alam was a 56-year-old Rohingya refugee who fled violence in Myanmar and arrived in Buffalo in December 2024.
In 2025, he got lost while on a walk and ended up on the porch of a woman's home, who called the police.
Body cam footage shows the officers who responded getting into a confrontation with Shah Alam, who appeared to be swinging two poles he was holding at them.
He was ultimately arrested and charged with trespassing and possessing a weapon.
In an X post shared on Thursday, the Department of Homeland Security insisted his death "had NOTHING to do with Border Patrol," as Shah Alam "passed almost A WEEK AFTER he was released."
They also claimed he had a "serious violent criminal rap sheet" and proceeded to list the charges he gained from his one arrest.
A press release from the Erie County Department of Health clarifies that cause of death refers to "the disease or injury that initiates the lethal sequence of events", while homicide refers to "death resulting from the volitional act of another, which may include negligent acts or omissions."
The department noted that the homicide designation "does not imply intent to cause harm or death" nor does it "indicate criminality, which is the purview of the judicial system."
Cover photo: Buffalo Police Dept.