Buffalo-based Congressman Tim Kennedy spoke in Washington D.C. Tuesday, proposing a bill that would change how immigrants are treated while being released from custody. The legislation is inspired by the incident which led to the death of a disabled refugee in Buffalo earlier this year.
Kennedy formally introduced his legislation, the DHS Release Transparency Act, which requires federal homeland security agencies including ICE and Customs and Border Protection notify a designated contact, either a family member or an attorney, when an individual is about to be released from their custody.
In late February, Nurul Amin Shah Alam, a Rohingya refugee, was released from custody by federal agents outside a closed coffee shop. Family members say they were never informed of his release. Alam was visually impaired and did not speak English. He was found dead five days later in downtown Buffalo, about five miles from where he was dropped off.
“DHS, as usual, immediately began disseminating misinformation, saying he was dropped off at a warm, safe location. Video evidence quickly proved that they were lying,” Kennedy said. “Mr. Shah Alam's family deserved to know his whereabouts, and the American people deserve to know the truth of what happened to Mr. Shah Alam. When someone is in federal custody, their family should never have to question their safety. That's especially true when they're wrongfully detained.”
Fifteen other federal lawmakers are co-sponsoring the bill, including LaMonica McIver of New Jersey. She says Alam’s case is not isolated, and that he’s just one of many who have been mistreated by federal agents.
“These instances are not random, and they're not just reckless. They are intentionally deceptive and cruel. That is why this bill matters,” MacIver said. “The DHS Release Transparency Act is an effort to hold DHS accountable to make sure that they can't hide, to make sure that what happened to Mr. Shah Alam never happens again.”
Co-sponsors say the legislation is about preserving human rights and dignity. Kennedy’s office noted the bill is endorsed by the National Immigrant Justice Center and Global Refuge.
Maria Pawelczyk contributed to this story.
