DEATH OF NURUL AMIN SHAH ALAM

DEATH OF NURUL AMIN SHAH ALAM

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 41 (Wednesday, March 4, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 41 (Wednesday, March 4, 2026)] [House] [Pages H2374-H2375] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] DEATH OF NURUL AMIN SHAH ALAM (Mr. Kennedy of New York was recognized to address the House for 5 minutes.) Mr. KENNEDY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart as our community and our Nation mourn a death that should have never happened. Nurul Amin Shah Alam was 56 years old. He was a Rohingya refugee who came to the U.S. legally after fleeing persecution and violence in Burma, searching for safety for himself and his family. He made his way to Buffalo, the city of Good Neighbors. He was nearly blind. He spoke very little English. He could not read, write, or navigate on his own. On February 19, DHS gave Mr. Shah Alam what they called a courtesy ride. That so-called courtesy ride resulted in him being left alone at a closed coffee shop miles from his family's home in the dead of winter. It would also be the last time Mr. Shah Alam was seen alive. His family was not notified. His attorney was not notified. There was no coordinated handoff, no protection for a man that was a vulnerable individual with disabilities. For 5 days, his loved ones checked hospitals and shelters. They walked the streets in search of Mr. Shah Alam, and they waited for answers that would never come. {time} 1015 Mr. Shah Alam was tragically found dead. His last known interaction was with Kristi Noem's Department of Homeland Security. That fact alone demands a full and independent investigation. When someone in government custody is abandoned and then found dead, the American people deserve answers. Under Trump and Kristi Noem, we have seen a disgusting pattern of cruelty, inhumanity, and injustice from their Department of Homeland Security. It is a pattern rooted in hate, division, and intolerance, with a willful and complete disregard for human life. Leadership matters. Accountability matters. The Department of Homeland Security under Kristi Noem has neither. Our communities deserve a government that protects the vulnerable, not one that drops them in the cold in the dark of night. The death of Nurul Amin Shah Alam is a failure of our entire system. Those at the top must answer for it, starting with Kristi Noem. Mr. Shah Alam should be alive today. He came to our country seeking refuge. Instead, his family laid him to rest last week. This should not be just another headline or more background noise to be forgotten. A man is dead after being abandoned by our government. His [[Page H2375]] family and the American people deserve the truth. We must have accountability and justice for the family of Mr. Shah Alam. May he rest in peace. ____________________