The Brief
- A 41-year-old Afghan wartime ally and father of six died in federal custody Saturday morning, less than 24 hours after being arrested by ICE agents in Richardson.
- Mohammad Nazeer Paktyawal, who served alongside U.S. Special Forces for a decade, suffered a medical emergency at the Dallas ICE Field Office before being transported to Parkland Hospital.
- While the cause of death is currently under investigation, family members and advocacy groups are demanding answers after the ‘healthy’ father died suddenly.
DALLAS – An Afghan wartime ally and father of six died Saturday morning less than 24 hours after being taken into federal immigration custody in North Texas, according to family members and officials.
Paktyawal arrested by ICE in Richardson
What we know:
Mohommad Nazeer Paktyawal, 41, was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) around 7 a.m. Friday, March 13. Family members say masked agents arrested him outside his Richardson home as he prepared to drive his children to school.
ICE characterized the arrest as a “targeted enforcement action,” citing Paktyawal’s 2025 arrests for SNAP fraud and theft. While the agency pointed to this “criminal history” as the basis for his detention, records show Paktyawal was never convicted of those charges. ICE also noted his parole had expired in August 2025, advocates clarified that Paktyawal held valid work authorization and a pending asylum case at the time of his death.
Afghan wartime ally dies in police custody
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