Afghan Asylum Seeker Dies in ICE Custody Less Than 24 Hours After Detention in Texas
A 41-year-old Afghan immigrant who previously worked alongside United States military forces in Afghanistan and was seeking asylum in the US died over the weekend in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody less than 24 hours after being detained in Texas, according to an advocacy group statement released on Sunday.
Details of the Arrest and Death
Mohommad Nazeer Paktyawal, who resided in a Dallas suburb with his wife and six children while his asylum case was pending, was arrested by federal agents outside his apartment on Friday morning while taking his children to school, said Shawn VanDiver, president of the military veteran-led group AfghanEvac. Paktyawal died of unknown causes on Saturday, VanDiver reported.
In a statement on Sunday, ICE indicated that Paktyawal was eating breakfast when medical staff observed his tongue had become swollen, prompting a medical response. He was declared dead only after multiple resuscitation attempts, the agency stated. ICE affirmed its commitment to ensuring safe, secure, and humane environments for all detainees.
Background and Advocacy Response
Paktyawal, a former Afghan special forces soldier who had collaborated with US army special forces since 2005, was evacuated from Afghanistan with his family in 2021 during the US military withdrawal after two decades of war, VanDiver explained. He worked at an Afghan halal market in the Dallas area and was the primary provider for his family, including an 18-month-old infant.
According to VanDiver, Paktyawal's family was informed he was taken to a Dallas hospital on the night of his arrest, remained alive the following morning, but died shortly after. AfghanEvac has called for an immediate investigation, with VanDiver noting it is highly unusual for an otherwise healthy 41-year-old man to die less than a day after being taken into government custody.
Broader Context of ICE Detentions and Immigration Policy
Paktyawal is at least the 12th person to die in ICE detention so far this year amid the Donald Trump administration's immigration crackdown. Last year, 31 people died after being detained by ICE, a two-decade high. ICE has played a central role in Trump's policy of mass deportations, with the number of detainees rising to record levels; ICE had approximately 68,000 people in custody as of early February.
More than 70,000 Afghans entered the US during Joe Biden's presidency under the Operation Allies Welcome initiative after the Taliban takeover of Kabul in 2021, according to the Department of Homeland Security. However, federal agencies under Trump have moved to terminate temporary protected status previously granted for humanitarian reasons to about 14,600 Afghans, potentially opening them up to deportation.
