Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested Mohammad Nazeer Paktyawal, a 41-year-old Afghan father and North Texas resident, on Friday, March 13. He died in custody less than 24 hours later on Saturday, March 14.
He initially complained of shortness of breath, following which he was taken to Parkland Hospital in Dallas.
According to the medical staff, Paktyawal’s tongue was swollen while having breakfast, accompanied by other symptoms. The staff at the Parkland Hospital tried to save his life, but he was declared dead at 9:10 a.m. on March 14.
Despite serving with United States military forces in Afghanistan, ICE arrested Paktyawal due to an expired legal status. Moreover, Paktyawal also reportedly had a criminal history after he moved to the United States in 2021.
Afghan asylum seeker dies in ICE custody, US advocacy group sayshttps://t.co/mHZx6id5EP
— South China Morning Post (@SCMPNews) March 15, 2026
An immigration officer paroled him into the United States under the previous administration, and his status expired on August 20, 2025. In September 2025, he was arrested over Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) fraud and later for theft in November.
Paktyawal’s brother, Naseer, called the former a hero for his family, his country, and its country. The father of six had a pending immigration case and was on his way to drop his kids off at school.
Naseer said, “He was arrested in front of these kids while taking them to school at 7 a.m. Some people surrounded him, put him in a car, and drove him away while they (the kids) were screaming, asking for help.” In less than 24 hours, Naseer received the call about his brother’s death.
Mohommad Nazeer Paktyawal’s family has released a statement following his death less than 24 hours after entering ICE custody.
He was a husband, a father of six, and an Afghan wartime ally who worked alongside U.S. Special Forces.
Full statement below. pic.twitter.com/vYyfWBB7pU
— #AfghanEvac (@afghanevac) March 16, 2026
Nonprofit AfghanEvac’s president Shawn VanDiver said in a statement, “It is not normal for a healthy 41-year-old man to die within a day of being taken into government custody. Mr. Paktyawal survived our war in Afghanistan and trusted the United States enough to rebuild his life here.”
The statement also shared the family’s message, “Right now our family is trying to comfort six children who have lost their father. We are heartbroken and trying to process this loss.”
As predicted, ICE is trying to blame the victim and change the subject.
The fact remains: Mohommad Nazeer Paktyawal, a 41-year-old father of six and Afghan wartime ally, died less than 24 hours after being taken into ICE custody.
The public deserves answers.
— Shawn VanDiver (@shawnjvandiver) March 15, 2026
VanDiver, a United States Navy veteran, has called for an investigation into Paktyawal’s death as the cause and circumstances remain unknown. Paktyawal reportedly did not have any underlying medical issues before his arrest.
Amid President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown, there have been complaints of unjust treatment of detainees in ICE facilities and reports of deaths in custody.
