Overview
- Nurul Amin Shah Alam, a 56-year-old Rohingya refugee, was found dead Tuesday on a downtown Buffalo street five days after agents left him at a Tim Hortons miles from his home.
- An autopsy by the Erie County Medical Examiner determined the death was health-related and ruled out exposure and homicide.
- Customs and Border Protection said agents confirmed he was a refugee not subject to removal, then provided a 'courtesy ride' to a location near his last known address and observed no signs of distress.
- His family and attorney say they were not told when or where he was released, and they reported him missing as temperatures in Buffalo dipped below freezing.
- Buffalo homicide detectives are reviewing the timeline, and city and state leaders, including the mayor and governor, have called for accountability, with the attorney general’s office considering legal options.