A blind 56 year old Buffalo man who went missing after Border Patrol dropped him 5 miles from home February 19 has been found dead

[marble]

From the Guardian:

"A nearly blind Burmese refugee who was abandoned by border patrol agents has been found dead in Buffalo, New York, city officials confirmed.
Nurul Amin Shah Alam, 56, had been missing since 19 February, when he was dropped off by border patrol following his release from Erie county holding center, according to the Investigative Post."

Nurul Amin Shah Alam had been in the Erie county holding center for a year since he was arrested for ending up on a woman's porch after getting lost on a walk and refusing to relinquish the curtain rod he uses as a cane when police showed up.

Border patrol dropped him off at a Buffalo Tim Hortons at 8:00 PM 5 miles from his home on February 19 and they never alerted his family or his lawyer of his release. In addition to being almost completely blind, he had trouble walking without a cane, can't use a phone, and spoke no English. The temperatures in Buffalo have been below freezing all week. His lawyer and family searched for him Friday and Saturday without luck and then opened a missing person's case on Sunday.

He leaves behind a wife and two sons.

 

[songbrd]

Missing blind man found dead in Buffalo

Buffalo homicide detectives are investigating the circumstances being the death of Nurul Amin Shah Alam, whose body was found after he went missing following his release from Border Patrol custody.

www.wxxinews.org

 

[kaen]

Oh dear G-d! This poor man. It is barbaric to leave a person in that weather at a business--knowing that he was so defenseless. The officers should be charged. JMHO.

 

[songbrd]

Statement from Mayor Sean M. Ryan on Death of Nurul Amin Shah Alam • Buffalo, NY

www.buffalony.gov

A vulnerable man — nearly blind and unable to speak English — was left alone on a cold winter night with no known attempt to leave him in a safe, secure location. That decision from U.S. Customs and Border Protection was unprofessional and inhumane.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection must answer for how and why this happened.

Buffalo is a city that welcomes refugees and believes government should protect human dignity, not endanger it. U.S. Customs and Border Protection failed that basic standard.