A refugee from Myanmar, who was nearly blind and had been missing since being released from a jail in Buffalo, New York, was discovered dead on a downtown street, according to city officials. The body of Nurul Amin Shah Alam, 56, was located by police officers in Buffalo on Tuesday evening, as confirmed by a spokesperson from the Buffalo Police Department.

Shah Alam had been missing since February 19 when U.S. Border Patrol agents left him at a coffee shop several kilometers away from his residence after his release from a county jail. He had spent a significant part of the past year in jail awaiting trial on criminal charges, which eventually led to a misdemeanor plea deal.

The circumstances surrounding Shah Alam’s death are currently under investigation by homicide detectives, as stated by the spokesperson. Buffalo Mayor Sean Ryan criticized the federal immigration authorities for their decision-making, describing Shah Alam’s death as preventable and a result of what he called “inhumane” actions.

According to Ryan, Shah Alam, who was vulnerable due to his visual impairment and lack of English proficiency, was abandoned on a cold winter night without proper care or attention. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) defended their actions, stating that Shah Alam was provided with a courtesy ride to a nearby coffee shop, deemed a safe and warm location close to his known address.

Shah Alam had been arrested a year ago after an incident that resulted in minor injuries to two Buffalo police officers. He was granted bail recently after agreeing to a plea deal. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement had issued an immigration detainer following Shah Alam’s arrest, requesting custody of him after his release from detention.

Shah Alam’s family was unaware of his release, and his son explained that his father’s arrest stemmed from a misunderstanding with the police due to language barriers. Federal officials are not obligated to notify families when releasing adults from custody, according to a local immigration lawyer.

The CBP revealed in a statement to the media that Shah Alam had entered the U.S. as a refugee in December 2024. The family of Shah Alam are Arakan Rohingya refugees, as confirmed by his son. Myanmar has faced accusations of genocide linked to a military operation in 2017 that displaced hundreds of thousands of Rohingya people. Many Rohingya refugees have been living in difficult conditions at a camp in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, following aid cuts imposed during the Trump administration.