Kennedy calls for federal investigation into refugee death - Spectrum News

Rep. Tim Kennedy sent an oversight letter to U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, demanding an "immediate and comprehensive federal investigation" into the death of Nurul Amin Shah Alam, a blind, disabled Burmese refugee recently released from Border Patrol custody who was found dead in downtown Buffalo days after he was reported missing by his family.

“The tragic death of Mr. Shah Alam is a moral failure that demands answers and a thorough investigation,” said Kennedy. “A man who fled persecution, who was nearly blind, and unable to communicate in English, was left alone in the dead of winter to fend for himself. Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident, but rather a predictable result of the culture of cruelty that has taken hold at DHS under Trump and Kristi Noem. His family is owed clarity, and the American people deserve a full accounting of how this happened, and how similar tragedies will be prevented from ever happening again.”

Last week, Shah Alam was released from sheriff’s custody on bond, then picked up by Border Patrol agents at the county holding center. Immigration officials found Alam was not “amenable to removal” and released him, dropping him off at a Tim Hortons parking lot with no shoes.

Border Patrol officials say they offered the 56-year-old a “courtesy ride” to the coffee shop, which was his choice, noting it was a warm and safe location near his known address.

But Shah Alam was found dead a six-and-a-half-mile drive away from that coffee shop this past Tuesday. During the days Shah Alam was missing, temperatures in Buffalo fell below freezing and light snow fell.

“What happened to Mr. Shah Alam is a heartbreaking failure that raises serious questions DHS must answer for,” said Rep. Bennie Thompson, ranking member of the Committee on Homeland Security. “DHS’s actions were a stunning display of carelessness and cruelty that Congress has a responsibility to fully investigate and ensure never happens again. I thank Congressman Kennedy for leading on this matter.”

U.S. Customs and Border Protection defended its actions in a statement, saying Shah Alam asked to be dropped off in that parking lot.

Gov. Kathy Hochul believes there should be a full investigation. State Attorney General Letitia James said her office is reviewing its legal options.

“The death of Mr. Shah Alam is the result of at least staggering recklessness and coldhearted indifference. It is an American tragedy and an American disgrace. This kind of cruelty is now one more five-alarm wake-up call for a country already reeling from violent deaths caused in American streets by federal agents,” said Rep. Jamie Raskin, ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee. “I salute my colleague Rep. Tim Kennedy on his fierce leadership and determination not to let this catastrophe be swept under any MAGA bureaucrat’s rug.”