Investigators look into death of Afghan ICE detainee

The cause of death for Mohammad Nazeer Paktiawal remained unclear on Sunday, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said. The 41-year-old Afghan national had been in ICE custody for about 24 hours before his death, the agency said. ICE agents arrested him on Friday in what the agency described as a targeted enforcement operation.

How did he come to die in custody? Paktiawal did not report any prior medical history when agents processed him for detention in a Dallas-area facility, ICE said. Later in the day on Friday, he began complaining of shortness of breath and chest pains. After Paktiawal was transferred to Parkland Hospital, medical staff treated him for his breathing problem and recommended that he stay in the hospital for observation. When he was eating breakfast Saturday morning, medical staff noted that his tongue had swollen. Lifesaving measures were attempted, but staff declared Paktiawal dead later in the morning.

Who was Paktiawal? He arrived in the United States in 2021 and was granted humanitarian parole by the Biden administration, ICE said. He was healthy and strong before his detention, Paktiawal’s family said in a statement. He had six children, the youngest of whom was only 18 months old, the family added. He was arrested while he was getting ready to take his children to school, according to the family’s statement.

Before coming to the United States, Paktiawal worked alongside American forces in Afghanistan. Since coming to the United States, his family said he had tried to build a peaceful life. Local police had previously arrested Paktiawal for alleged food stamp fraud and theft last year, but ICE did not note whether he’d been charged or convicted in those cases.

The Department of Homeland Security  on Monday again highlighted the arrests, adding that Paktiawal never provided any record of his military service. His parole as a migrant expired on Aug. 20, 2025, DHS said. 

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Editor’s note: This story has been updated to add information from an additional statement by the Department of Homeland Security.