An Afghan immigrant and father of six died in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Saturday, less than 24 hours after being detained. File Photo by Craig Lassig/UPI | License Photo
An Afghan father of six died in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Texas less than 24 hours after being detained while seeking asylum.
AfghanEvac, a group that advocates for Afghan allies to the United States, said Sunday that 41-year-old Mohammad Nazeer Paktiawal died on Saturday. The cause of his death is unknown.
Paktiawal had no known health issues, his family said.
Rahmanullah Zazy, a family friend, said Paktiawal was surrounded by masked men who handcuffed him in front of his children. Paktiawal was detained by ICE agents on Friday when he was preparing to take his children to school.
Paktiawal immigrated to the United States in 2021 with temporary protected status under the Biden administration’s Operation Allies Refuge.
In 2005, Paktiawal began working with the U.S. Army Special Forces as a member of Afghanistan’s special forces. His brother Naseer Paktiawal said he was hired by the U.S. government and worked with U.S. troops for more than a decade.
A statement by ICE did not mention Paktiawal’s military service. The agency said his parole ended on Aug. 20, 2025. It also said he had a criminal history, including an arrest for theft in November.
On Friday, Paktiawal reported experiencing shortness of breath and chest pains while he was held in ICE’s Dallas Field Office, ICE said. He was transported to the Parkland Hospital emergency room. He was treated for his breathing issues and kept under observation.
On Saturday, while Paktiawal was eating breakfast, a member of Parkland Hospital’s staff noted that his tongue began to swell. He was put on an epinephrine drip. Later that morning, medical staff administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation on Paktiawal. Lifesaving efforts were unsuccessful and he died on Saturday morning.
Paktiawal is the 12th person confirmed to have died in the custody of ICE this year.
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President Donald Trump speaks during an event celebrating Women’s History Month in the East Room of the White House on Thursday. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo
