DALLAS, TX — Mohommad Nazeer Paktyawal, a 41-year-old Afghan man who fled the Taliban and had been seeking asylum in the U.S., died in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody over the weekend, just hours after his arrest.
Paktyawal’s sudden death has sparked grief and outrage within the Afghan diaspora community in Texas, where many Afghans who fled the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in 2021 have resettled.
Paktyawal’s Arrest and Sudden Health Decline
Paktyawal was arrested on Friday, March 17, during a targeted enforcement operation by ICE. His family and an advocacy group said he had no known health issues prior to his detention. According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Paktyawal complained of shortness of breath and chest pains during his medical intake exam at an ICE facility in Dallas.
ICE contacted paramedics, and Paktyawal was transported to a local hospital. Despite receiving medical treatment, his condition worsened. The next morning, his tongue became swollen, and he was given an IV drip. Despite CPR and resuscitative efforts, Paktyawal was pronounced dead shortly after 9 a.m. on Saturday, March 18.
An initial report from the Dallas County Medical Examiner did not list a cause of death, and his passing marks the 12th death of a detainee in ICE custody this year.
Paktyawal’s Background and Service to the U.S.
Paktyawal, a father of six, had served alongside U.S. special forces in Afghanistan starting around 2005. According to advocacy group AfghanEvac, Paktyawal was part of a special forces group stationed near the Pakistan border in eastern Afghanistan. The group provided a certificate of service that indicated his role in assisting U.S. troops.
Although DHS said Paktyawal did not provide a record of his military service upon entering the U.S., AfghanEvac and other advocates have maintained that Paktyawal’s service made him a key ally of the U.S. during the war in Afghanistan. His service has further fueled anger among the Afghan community, who view his detention and death as a betrayal of those who supported U.S. forces.
Grief and Outrage in the Afghan Community
Paktyawal’s sudden death has deeply shaken the Afghan diaspora in Texas. Rahmanullah Zazy, a leader in the local Afghan community, expressed sorrow over the loss, saying, “They took our community member alive to the detention center, and now we are getting the dead body. We want peace.”
The loss is especially tragic for Paktyawal’s family, including his wife and six children, the youngest of whom is an American citizen. Shawn VanDiver, president of AfghanEvac, also voiced concern over the lack of clarity surrounding Paktyawal’s death, stating, “We don’t know how he died. We just know he’s dead.”
Impact of U.S. Refugee and Asylum Policies
Paktyawal’s death comes amid ongoing scrutiny of U.S. policies regarding Afghan refugees. After the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021, the Biden administration led a large-scale evacuation of Afghan nationals, including those who had worked with U.S. military forces.
However, refugee policies have been controversial, especially following the actions of Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan refugee who allegedly shot and killed a National Guard member in Washington, D.C. in 2022.
DHS spokesperson Lauren Bis criticized the Biden-era refugee program, claiming it allowed “unvetted” Afghan nationals to enter the country, though these claims have been contested. Officials emphasized that all Afghan evacuees were subject to screenings by intelligence, law enforcement, and counterterrorism professionals, with many undergoing multiple levels of vetting both in Afghanistan and in transit countries.
Continuing Investigations
The investigation into Paktyawal’s death is ongoing, with officials working to determine the cause. Congressman Leon Black is scheduled to testify before the House Oversight Committee later this year, shedding light on his financial ties with Epstein.
Paktyawal’s death is the latest in a series of incidents that continue to call attention to the conditions in immigration detention facilities. The Afghan community and advocacy groups are urging for further transparency and accountability in how Afghan refugees and detainees are treated in U.S. custody.
