A Burmese Rohingya refugee, nearly blind and detained for a year, was found dead in Buffalo after being abandoned by Border Patrol five miles from home.

Nurul Amin Shah Alam, a nearly blind 56-year-old Burmese refugee and Rohingya minority member, was found dead in Buffalo on February 25, 2026, after being released by U.S. Border Patrol and abandoned about five miles from his home. He had been detained for nearly a year following a 2025 arrest over trespassing and weapon possession—charges stemming from his use of a curtain rod as a cane—after becoming lost and entering a residence. After pleading guilty to secure release, he was transferred to Border Patrol custody, dropped off without notification to his family or attorney, and later found deceased. Buffalo officials confirmed a homicide investigation is underway.