By Marissa Armas, Bo Evans, S.E. Jenkins
Updated on: March 16, 2026 / 9:54 PM EDT / CBS Texas
An Afghan father who served alongside U.S. forces died in immigration custody less than a day after being arrested in North Texas.
Mohammad Nazeer Paktiawal’s family says he was in the U.S. legally after evacuating in 2021 following service with U.S. forces in Afghanistan. ICE said Paktiawal, 41, had a criminal history and that his temporary parole had expired.
Naseer Paktiawal, Mohammad Nazeer’s brother, said on March 13 his brother was detained by ICE agents near his Richardson, Texas, home while dropping off his children at school. “He was arrested in front of these kids while taking them to school at 7 in the morning. Some people surrounded him, put him in the car, and drove him away while they were screaming, asking for help,” Naseer said. Less than 24 hours later, he received a call that his brother was dead.
ICE said Paktiawal was paroled into the U.S. in 2021 under Operation Allies Refuge and that he provided no record of military service. The agency said his parole expired on Aug. 20, 2025. Naseer said his brother had a pending immigration case and that before emigrating Mohammad Nazeer had been hired by the U.S. government as a member of Afghan special forces and worked alongside U.S. forces for more than a decade. “He was a hero to his family, to his people, and to his country,” Naseer said.
ICE confirmed Paktiawal was arrested March 13 and was in custody for one day before being declared dead at Parkland Hospital in Dallas. The agency said he had a criminal history, including a SNAP fraud charge filed Sept. 16, 2025, for $200 or more and an arrest for theft on Nov. 1, 2025; ICE said neither case had been heard by the time of his death. CBS News Texas has not independently confirmed ICE’s criminal-history information.
ICE said Paktiawal “did not report any prior medical history” when taken into custody. Late on March 13, ICE said Paktiawal complained of shortness of breath and chest pains while in a Dallas Field Office processing hold room; Emergency Medical Services were contacted and he was taken to Parkland Hospital. He received a breathing treatment, and the ER doctor recommended observation.
Early March 14, while eating breakfast at the hospital, medical staff noted his tongue had become swollen and he was given an epinephrine drip, ICE said. Later that day, staff began cardiopulmonary resuscitation; after multiple lifesaving efforts, he was declared dead at 9:10 a.m. ICE said his death is under investigation.
Family and community leaders called for a transparent investigation. “All I want,” Naseer said, “I want justice for my brother. I don’t need anything else from this government.” Mustafaa Carroll, DFW executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations – Texas, said the death came during the final days of Ramadan and urged authorities to ensure a full and transparent investigation, emphasizing that detention does not erase a person’s humanity.
The Department of Homeland Security’s Deputy Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said in a statement that “no one in ICE custody is denied access to proper medical care” and described longstanding practices to provide comprehensive medical, dental and mental health services, including 24-hour emergency care.
A community fundraising campaign has been started to help pay for funeral expenses and support the family.