HOUSTON (AP) — An Afghan immigrant whose family said had worked with U.S. forces in his home country died at a Texas hospital after having been detained by immigration authorities, according to officials.
Mohommad Nazeer Paktyawal, 41, died at Parkland Hospital in Dallas on Saturday, a day after having been taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
A cause of death is still pending. But Paktyawal’s family said he was not ill.
“We still cannot understand how this happened. He was only 41 years old and was a strong and healthy man. His children keep asking when their father will come home,” the family said in a statement.
In a statement, ICE said that Paktyawal had been arrested for committing fraud against SNAP, the government’s largest food aid program, on Sept. 16. ICE also noted that he had a prior arrest for theft.
Paktyawal was detained during a targeted enforcement action, and according to ICE, he did not report any medical issues at the time of his arrest. However, he began experiencing shortness of breath and chest pains while in processing at ICE's Dallas office.
He was subsequently transported to Parkland Hospital where he received treatment but unfortunately passed away shortly afterwards.
“His passing is currently under active investigation,” ICE stated.
Paktyawal had previously served alongside U.S. military special forces in Afghanistan and immigrated to the United States as a refugee following the withdrawal of U.S. troops in August 2021.
He had been living with his family in Richardson, near Dallas, while awaiting the resolution of his asylum case. He was married and a father to six children.
Deaths under ICE custody have notably increased during the recent administration, with the agency reporting a troubling rise in incidents. Paktyawal’s untimely death adds further pressure on the problematic state of detention facilities.
ICE has also been ramping up detention capacity, which critics argue poses risks to the health and wellbeing of individuals in their custody.
