A US border patrol team abandoned a refugee, resulting in the loss of a life!

The deceased refugee was Shah Alam, a Rohingya from Myanmar. He was nearly blind, illiterate, and unable to use electronic devices. A year ago, due to his impaired vision, he wandered onto private property using a purchased curtain rod as a cane, prompting someone to call the police. The police ordered him to lower the curtain rod in English, but he didn’t understand and was subsequently detained in jail for nearly a year until he reached a plea agreement for a misdemeanor. On February 19, U.S. Border Patrol agents abandoned him at a coffee shop several miles from his home after his release from the county jail. Shah Alam remained missing until his death was discovered. A spokesperson for U.S. Customs and Border Protection stated that agents abandoned Shah Alam at a coffee shop after determining he had entered the U.S. as a refugee and could not be deported. The spokesperson added that agents offered him a ride, which he accepted and went to the coffee shop, which was deemed a warm and safe location near his last known address. He also stated that he showed no signs of pain, mobility impairment, or disability requiring special assistance. Buffalo Mayor Sean Ryan, a Democrat, said Shah Alam’s death was preventable and a result of an “inhumane” decision by federal immigration authorities. He further noted that “a vulnerable man—almost blind and unable to speak English—was abandoned alone on a cold winter night, with no known attempts made to place him in a safe and secure location,” deeming the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s decision both unprofessional and inhumane. For Alam’s family, this is undoubtedly a tremendous tragedy, especially considering the authorities failed to inform them or their lawyers where their father was abandoned after his release from prison. This incident has also sparked public concern and reflection on U.S. immigration policy and the way border enforcement agencies handle refugees.