The Kabul Tribune (KT) — An Afghan man who fought alongside U.S. Special Forces in Afghanistan died from a severe allergic reaction while in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and his death has been ruled an accident, according to records reviewed by The Associated Press.
Mohammad Nazeer Paktiawal, 41, died on March 14, 2026, at a
Dallas hospital, one day after being detained by ICE for deportation
proceedings. His death certificate states that an adverse reaction to an
unidentified substance triggered anaphylaxis, a life-threatening allergic
reaction, which worsened his asthma and led to his death.
The AP reported that Paktiawal's death is the first among
more than 50 deaths in ICE detention during President Donald Trump's second
term to be officially classified as an accident. Most other deaths have been
attributed to natural causes or suicide.
Paktiawal served alongside U.S. Special Forces in
Afghanistan for about a decade before being evacuated to the United States
during the 2021 U.S. withdrawal. He entered the country legally and had a
pending asylum application when ICE agents arrested him at his home in
Richardson, Texas, on March 13, 2026.
According to the report, ICE has defended its decision to
detain Paktiawal, citing previous arrests on allegations of food stamp fraud
and theft. However, he had not been convicted in either case.
The AP said ICE previously reported that Paktiawal denied
having any medical conditions or allergies during an initial health screening.
Hours after his detention, he developed shortness of breath and chest pain and
was transferred to Parkland Memorial Hospital. The following morning, medical
staff observed swelling of his tongue while he was eating breakfast and
administered epinephrine, but he died about 40 minutes later despite emergency
treatment.
His death certificate lists the cause of death as
"anaphylaxis complicating acute asthma exacerbation." It also
identifies the toxic effects of methamphetamine, heart disease and cigarette
smoking as contributing contributing factors. Family members have disputed any
suggestion that Paktiawal used methamphetamine, and a second autopsy
commissioned by the family was unable to confirm the presence of the drug
because no blood samples remained for testing.
The case has prompted calls from AfghanEvac, a U.S.-based
advocacy group, and members of Congress for authorities to release the full
autopsy report. They argue that Paktiawal's family deserves answers about what
triggered the fatal allergic reaction and whether appropriate medical care was
provided while he was in custody.
Dallas County officials have declined to release the autopsy
report, saying its disclosure could interfere with an ongoing federal criminal
investigation. Paktiawal's family has rejected the official explanation for his
death and continues to seek greater transparency regarding the circumstances surrounding
the incident.
Paktiawal was one of thousands of Afghans resettled in the
United States after the collapse of the former Afghan government in 2021. His
death has renewed scrutiny of the treatment of Afghan evacuees in U.S.
immigration detention and prompted calls for greater accountability in cases
involving the deaths of migrants in federal custody.
