BUFFALO, NEW YORK — Nurul Shah Alam, a 56-year-old Rohingya immigrant, was found dead on Feb. 24 approximately four miles from where U.S. Border Patrol had dropped him off near Buffalo, New York. The Erie County medical examiner's office ruled his death a homicide, finding that he died from complications of a perforated duodenal ulcer precipitated by hypothermia and dehydration.

According to the medical examiner's office, for death certification purposes, homicide includes deaths resulting from the actions of another person, including negligent acts or omissions. When Alam's body was found, he was wearing only the orange detention booties issued in custody and had no warm jacket or shoes. Temperatures in Buffalo on Feb. 24 were below freezing.

Alam had spent months in the Erie County detention center after he was arrested for mistakenly wandering into a resident's backyard. He had lost much of his sight during a childhood accident. On Feb. 18, a day before his scheduled release, his family visited him at the detention center and began preparing for his return. He never returned home. Border Patrol did not notify his family or attorneys when it released him.

The Department of Homeland Security said Alam's death had nothing to do with Border Patrol. DHS described the medical examiner's findings as a hoax being peddled by the media and sanctuary politicians to demonize law enforcement.

Terrence Connors, an attorney representing Alam's family, said, "The Erie County medical examiner's report confirms our understanding that Shah Alam was placed in a hostile environment from which he could not reasonably be expected to extricate himself." Connors added, "Border Patrol had the ability to place him in a non-hostile environment. That is why the manner of death was ruled a homicide."

Michelle Brané, executive director of Together and Free and former immigration detention ombudsman at DHS, said, "A homicide finding means this wasn't just a tragedy. It points to neglect or wrongful action." Brané also said, "These practices seem almost intentionally cruel. There were established procedures for releasing someone safely that didn't require extra cost or effort. When those safeguards are ignored, it raises serious questions about whether people are being placed in danger unnecessarily."

Mohamad Faisal Nurul Amin, Alam's son, said, "When I got the call from the medical examiner, my body went into shock. I felt like I was going to throw up. I couldn't move." Amin also said, "My mother was devastated." He added, "I am still depressed. It broke our home."

Alam's wife and two of their sons had moved from Malaysia to Buffalo in December 2024 as part of a resettlement effort for ethnic Rohingya people. The Rohingya, a Muslim minority, have long faced violence in Myanmar. Three of the couple's other sons remained in Malaysia waiting for admission to the United States.