Afghan Evacuee and Alleged U.S. Military Ally Dies Less Than 24 Hours After ICE Arrest in Texas
Mohommad Nazeer Paktyawal, an Afghan father of six whom advocates say came to the U.S. after the 2021 withdrawal and served alongside U.S. forces, died less than 24 hours after a targeted ICE enforcement arrest in Dallas; his family says he was a healthy baker with a pending asylum case. ICE and DHS say they have no record of his military service and point to pending SNAP‑fraud and theft allegations; officials say he complained of shortness of breath and chest pain at the Dallas ICE field office, was taken to Parkland Hospital where he developed a swollen tongue, received life‑saving measures and CPR, and was pronounced dead at 9:10 a.m., prompting calls from Rep. Julie Johnson and advocates for answers.
đź“Ś Key Facts
- The deceased is identified as Mohommad Nazeer Paktyawal (alternative spelling reported); advocacy groups and lawmakers describe him as a 41‑year‑old father of six who lived in Richardson, Texas, and had a pending asylum case after coming to the U.S. following the 2021 withdrawal.
- Advocacy group #AfghanEvac says Paktyawal served alongside U.S. special forces; ICE and DHS say they have no record of military service and have characterized him as a 'criminal' based on pending cases.
- ICE and local authorities say there are active allegations against Paktyawal: a Dallas County felony SNAP‑fraud case (alleging $200 or more) stemming from Sept. 16 and a Nov. 1 Garland arrest for alleged shoplifting at a Walmart that had not yet been filed with the district attorney.
- ICE reports that Paktyawal was arrested during a targeted enforcement action on Friday, complained of shortness of breath and chest pain during intake at the Dallas ICE field office, was transported to Parkland Hospital Friday night, kept overnight, found with a swollen tongue while eating breakfast Saturday, received life‑saving treatment after going into cardiac arrest, and was pronounced dead at 9:10 a.m. CDT — less than 24 hours after entering ICE custody.
- Paktyawal’s family says he was healthy and working as a baker supporting six children and cannot understand how he died so suddenly.
- Local lawmakers and advocates have pressed ICE and DHS for answers: Rep. Julie Johnson (D‑Texas) visited the Dallas ICE field office and publicly questioned why he was targeted and how he died so quickly; #AfghanEvac president Shawn VanDiver accused the government of 'damage control' and criticized labeling him a criminal without a conviction or checking interagency records.
- Reporters note broader context in ICE detention: reported deaths in custody rose to 14 between Oct. 1 and Jan. 6 (compared with 24 for the prior fiscal year and 12 in each of the three years before that), and detention capacity has grown from roughly 40,000 to over 70,000 with a planned expansion to 92,600 beds at an estimated $38.3 billion.
đź“Š Relevant Data
Out of approximately 80,000 Afghan evacuees resettled in the US since 2021, federal data indicates that 876 were flagged for fraud concerns during vetting, 956 for public safety concerns, and 5,005 for national security concerns.
Thousands of Afghan evacuees flagged for security concerns in US since 2021 — Ariana News
The verification process for Afghan nationals claiming military service with US forces involves submitting Form I-360 to USCIS, obtaining Chief of Mission approval from the State Department, and providing documentation such as passports or tazkera, with interagency checks for service records.
Special Immigrant Visas for Afghans - Who Were Employed by/on Behalf of the U.S. Government — U.S. Department of State
In Texas, more than $21 million in SNAP benefits were stolen from families between 2020 and 2026, primarily through EBT card skimming and fraud, with cases increasing despite no enhancements to card security.
Weak EBT card security leaves millions in Texas SNAP benefits vulnerable to theft — KVUE
The Asian population in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, which includes Richardson, grew from approximately 7% in 2020 to 9% by 2024, driven by immigration, with projections for continued increases to 12% by 2050.
Demographic Characteristics and Trends: Texas and the Metroplex — Texas Demographic Center
A study of 52 deaths in ICE custody from 2017 to 2021 found that 95% could likely have been prevented with adequate medical care, citing issues like delayed responses and inadequate treatment for chronic conditions.
đź“° Source Timeline (3)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- ICE and DHS say they have no record of Mohommad Nazeer Paktyawal’s military service and describe him as a 'criminal' based on pending SNAP fraud and theft cases.
- #AfghanEvac president Shawn VanDiver accuses the government of doing 'damage control' and says calling Paktyawal a criminal without a conviction and claiming no service record without checking interagency systems is inappropriate.
- Rep. Julie Johnson, D-Texas, visited the Dallas ICE field office and publicly questioned why Paktyawal was targeted and how a '41-year-old father of six' died less than 24 hours after entering ICE custody.
- Detailed medical timeline: Paktyawal reported shortness of breath and chest pain during intake at the Dallas ICE field office, was transported to Parkland Hospital, developed a swollen tongue Saturday, received treatment, then went into cardiac arrest; CPR was performed and he was pronounced dead at 9:10 a.m. CDT.
- ICE and local authorities confirm an active Dallas County felony case alleging SNAP fraud of $200 or more and a separate November 1 Garland, Texas arrest for alleged shoplifting at Walmart, which had not yet been filed with the district attorney.
- Paktyawal’s family states he was healthy and working as a baker supporting six children and say they cannot understand how he died so suddenly.
- Confirms additional spelling/identification detail for the deceased as Mohommad Nazeer Paktyawal (variant of previously reported name).
- Adds ICE’s detailed timeline of his detention: arrested during a targeted enforcement action Friday, reported no medical history, then complained of shortness of breath and chest pain Friday night in an ICE Dallas field office hold room before being transported to Parkland Hospital.
- Provides ICE’s description of his final hours: kept overnight at Parkland, found with a swollen tongue while eating breakfast Saturday, multiple life‑saving efforts attempted, and time of death recorded at 9:10 a.m.
- Clarifies his recent criminal history from ICE’s perspective: SNAP fraud arrest on Sept. 16 and theft arrest on Nov. 1.
- Documents #AfghanEvac’s statement that he came as a refugee after the 2021 U.S. withdrawal, served alongside U.S. special forces, was living in Richardson, Texas, and had a pending asylum case.
- Presents new statistical context on ICE detention: deaths in custody have surged to 14 between Oct. 1 and Jan. 6, compared with 24 for all of the previous fiscal year and 12 in each of the three years before that, and detention capacity has jumped from about 40,000 at the start of Trump’s second term to more than 70,000 with a planned $38.3 billion expansion to 92,600 beds.