A 41-year-old Afghan man died in a Texas hospital less than a day after being taken into U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody, prompting calls for an independent investigation.
Mohommad Nazeer Paktyawal, who previously worked with U.S. Army Special Forces in Afghanistan, was evacuated to the United States in 2021 after the Taliban takeover. His asylum case was still pending at the time of his death, according to AfghanEvac, an organization that assists Afghan evacuees.
ICE said Paktyawal was arrested during a targeted enforcement operation on March 13. After complaining of shortness of breath and chest pain, he was taken to Parkland Hospital in Dallas.
According to the agency, medical staff noticed early the next morning that Paktyawal’s tongue had become swollen while he was eating breakfast. Emergency medical efforts were attempted, but he was pronounced dead at 9:10 a.m. on March 14.
Officials have not yet confirmed the cause of death. ICE said the incident remains under active investigation and noted that Paktyawal did not report any prior medical conditions at the time of his arrest.
AfghanEvac has called for a transparent inquiry into the circumstances surrounding his detention, medical treatment, and death. The group’s president, Shawn VanDiver, urged oversight by the Department of Homeland Security’s Inspector General and by Congress.
Paktyawal was a father of six, with his youngest child only 18 months old. His family said they were struggling to understand what happened.
“He was only 41 years old and was a strong and healthy man,” the family said in a statement shared by AfghanEvac.
The United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination recently criticized ICE for what it described as excessive use of force during immigration enforcement operations. The committee noted that at least eight people have died during ICE operations or while in ICE custody since January.
ICE said Paktyawal entered the United States in August 2021 under humanitarian parole, which expired in August 2025.
The agency also said he had been arrested twice last year in connection with alleged fraud and theft involving the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which provides food assistance to low-income families.
AfghanEvac said those arrests did not lead to criminal charges and that, based on available information, Paktyawal had not been convicted of any crimes.
