An Afghan migrant has died less than 24 hours after being taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, raising new concerns about conditions and medical care in immigration detention facilities in the United States.
The man, Mohommad Nazeer Paktyawal, 41, died on March 14 at Parkland Hospital after being detained the previous day at an ICE processing facility in Dallas. His death marks the 12th reported fatality in ICE custody in 2026.
According to a statement shared by the migrant advocacy group AfghanEvac, Paktyawal was detained on March 13 while preparing to take his children to school. His family later learned he had been rushed to the hospital that night. The following morning, they were informed that he had died.
ICE officials said Paktyawal complained of shortness of breath and chest pain while being held in a processing room at the ICE Dallas Field Office. He was taken to the hospital for treatment. Authorities later said he was eating breakfast the next morning when his tongue suddenly became swollen. Medical staff attempted several life-saving procedures, but he was pronounced dead at 9:10 a.m.
Paktyawal’s family said they are struggling to understand how the incident happened. They described him as a healthy and strong 41-year-old father of six who had no serious health issues before his detention.
ICE stated that Paktyawal had previously been arrested for alleged SNAP fraud in September 2025 and again for theft in November 2025. However, representatives from AfghanEvac said he had never been charged or convicted of a crime.
A spokesperson for the organization criticized ICE’s statement for emphasizing his arrests despite the lack of convictions. They stressed that under U.S. law, individuals are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
The advocacy group also noted that Paktyawal had served as an Afghan special forces soldier starting in 2005 and worked with United States Army Special Forces during the war in Afghanistan. He was evacuated to the United States in 2021 and had been living with his family in Richardson, Texas before his detention.
AfghanEvac said the cause of Paktyawal’s death remains unknown and has called for a full investigation into the circumstances of his arrest, detention, and medical treatment. ICE has confirmed that the case is currently under active investigation.
The incident comes amid growing concern over deaths in immigration detention facilities. Advocacy groups say several people have died while in ICE custody in recent months, including multiple cases reported earlier this year in Texas.