The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and its New York chapter demanded transparent investigations Thursday into the death of a nearly-blind Rohingya refugee in Buffalo, New York, after he was allegedly abandoned miles from his home by US Border Patrol agents.
CAIR said New York State Police should work with the Buffalo Police Department to thoroughly and independently investigate the disappearance and subsequent death of Nurul Amin Shah Alam, whose body was found after he had been missing since Feb. 19.
"It is unconscionable that border patrol agents would release a nearly-blind refugee in an unfamiliar area without ensuring his safety and well-being. This tragic death raises serious questions about the conduct of Border Patrol agents," according to a statement by CAIR. "Federal authorities must also investigate the incident and the conduct of their agents, but local law enforcement must not wait for and rely on a federal probe given the Trump administration's failure to prosecute immigration agents for their abuse in various cities."
Extending condolences to Shah Alam's family and the Rohingya community, CAIR urged "community leaders and elected officials to ensure that such a tragedy never happens again."
According to CAIR, Shah Alam had been in custody awaiting trial on charges that were resolved with a misdemeanor plea deal stemming from what was described as a misunderstanding with police after he was lost and wandered onto private property.
He reportedly did not understand commands to drop a curtain rod he was using as a walking stick.
In a separate statement, the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) Chair Grace Meng and Rep. Tim Kennedy said, "We are outraged by the tragic death of Nurul Amin Shah Alam. U.S. Border Patrol agents left a man who was nearly blind, unable to speak English, and living with serious medical conditions miles from his home without notifying his family."
Meng and Kennedy called the decision by the border patrol agents "a profound failure of duty and basic human decency that cost a man his life."
"There must be a full and thorough investigation into why this happened," it added.
