1. United States
2. Texas
3. Letter

I am writing to demand an immediate, public, and comprehensive investigation into the death of Nurul Amin Shah Alam following actions taken by immigration officials under the administration of Donald Trump. According to reports, Mr. Alam — a blind refugee who relied on a walking stick to navigate the world — was taken into custody in Buffalo. After officials determined that he could not be deported, he was not safely returned home. Instead, he was allegedly left five miles away from his residence in freezing temperatures. He died attempting to make his way back. If these facts are accurate, this is not a bureaucratic error. It is not a paperwork oversight. It is a catastrophic moral and operational failure that resulted in a preventable death. Federal immigration authorities have a legal and constitutional duty to ensure the safety and basic human treatment of individuals in their custody. Abandoning a blind man in winter conditions miles from home demonstrates either reckless indifference or deliberate cruelty. Either possibility demands accountability. Congress cannot remain silent. I demand answers to the following: • Who authorized the release of a blind detainee without safe transport? • What protocols were followed — or ignored — in this case? • Were supervisors aware of the circumstances of his disability and the weather conditions? • What disciplinary or criminal referrals are being pursued? If federal agents acted outside policy, they must be held accountable. If policy allowed this to occur, then that policy is indefensible and must be changed immediately. A government that detains a vulnerable person assumes responsibility for that person’s safety. Discarding him into lethal conditions violates basic standards of human decency and undermines the rule of law. Congress has oversight authority. Use it. Subpoena records. Call hearings. Demand sworn testimony. The American people deserve transparency, and Mr. Alam’s family deserves the truth. Failure to investigate would signal that some lives are disposable under federal custody. That is unacceptable in a constitutional democracy. I expect immediate action.