Afghan U.S. Military Ally Dies in ICE Custody After Inhaler Denied
Mohammad Nazeer Paktiawal, a former Afghan special forces soldier evacuated under Operation Allies Refuge, died in ICE custody on March 13, 2026, after being denied his asthma inhaler. Detained while dropping his children at preschool, he suffered anaphylaxis and asthma exacerbation. His death certificate lists an adverse drug reaction and methamphetamine effects, which family disputes. ICE claims no record of his service and cites prior arrests. The autopsy is withheld due to a federal investigation.
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Afghan Special Forces Veteran Dies in ICE Custody After Inhaler Denied
Mohammad Nazeer Paktiawal, a former Afghan National Army Special Operations Command soldier, died in ICE custody in Dallas on March 13, 2026, within 24 hours of arrest. Officers denied him an inhaler despite his wife's warnings. He suffered shortness of breath, was hospitalized, stabilized, then died from anaphylaxis complicating acute asthma exacerbation. The Dallas Medical Examiner's death certificate lists methamphetamine toxicity as a contributing factor, but family and advocates dispute this, noting Paktiawal had no known drug history and passed regular truck driver health screenings. An independent autopsy was prevented because the body was embalmed. ICE labeled him a 'criminal illegal alien' over prior SNAP fraud allegations. His brother now supports Paktiawal's wife and six children, demanding transparency.
Reason.comAfghan Special Forces Veteran Dies in ICE Custody After Inhaler Denied
Mohammad Nazeer Paktiawal, a former Afghan National Army Special Operations Command soldier, died in ICE custody on March 13, 2026, within 24 hours of his arrest. His wife informed officers he needed an inhaler for asthma, but they did not take it and prevented her from providing it later. After experiencing shortness of breath at the detention center, he was taken to a hospital, stabilized, but died from anaphylaxis complicating acute asthma exacerbation. The Dallas Medical Examiner's death certificate lists methamphetamine toxicity and smoking as contributing factors, though his family and advocates dispute drug use, noting his clean truck driver physicals. An independent examiner could not perform separate tests due to embalming. ICE labeled him a 'criminal illegal alien' over prior SNAP fraud arrests. His brother demands transparency, supporting Paktiawal's wife and six children independently.
Reason.comAfghan Special Forces Veteran Dies in ICE Custody After Being Denied Inhaler
Mohammad Nazeer Paktiawal, a former Afghan National Army Special Operations Command soldier, died in ICE custody on March 13, 2026, within 24 hours of his arrest. His wife informed officers he needed an inhaler for asthma, but they did not take it and later denied her request to provide it. Paktiawal experienced shortness of breath at the detention center, was hospitalized, stabilized, then died from anaphylaxis complicating acute asthma exacerbation. The Dallas Medical Examiner's death certificate lists the cause as an accident, citing adverse drug reaction and methamphetamine toxicity, though his family and advocates dispute drug use. An ICE official reportedly recommended barring release of the autopsy. Paktiawal's brother, supporting his family and six children, demands answers. ICE labeled Paktiawal a 'criminal illegal alien' over prior SNAP fraud arrests.
Reason.comAfghan U.S. Military Ally Dies in ICE Custody from Allergic Reaction; Death Certificate Raises Questions
Mohammad Nazeer Paktiawal, an Afghan national who worked with U.S. special forces for over a decade and was evacuated under Operation Allies Refuge, died in ICE custody on March 13, 2026, after being detained while dropping his children at preschool. His death certificate, released three months later, lists an adverse drug reaction to an unidentified substance and effects of methamphetamine as causes, but contains a date error stating he died a day before his detention. Advocacy group AfghanEvac and the family dispute the methamphetamine finding, questioning how the substance entered his system while in custody. The Dallas County Criminal District Attorney's Office is withholding the full autopsy report due to a pending federal criminal investigation. Paktiawal's death is one of over 50 in ICE custody since President Trump returned to office, and the first ruled an accident.
The New RepublicAfghan U.S. Military Ally Dies in ICE Custody from Allergic Reaction; Death Certificate Raises Questions
Mohammad Nazeer Paktiawal, an Afghan national who served with U.S. special forces for over a decade and was evacuated under Operation Allies Refuge, died in ICE custody on March 13, 2026, after being detained while dropping his children at preschool. His death certificate, released three months later, lists an adverse drug reaction causing anaphylaxis and asthma exacerbation, but contains discrepancies: it states he died on March 12, a day before his detention, and cites methamphetamine effects, which his family and friends deny he ever used. The family has not received a full autopsy report, withheld due to a pending federal criminal investigation. Paktiawal complained of shortness of breath and chest pain while in ICE custody, was transferred to a hospital, and died the next morning. ICE claims no record of his military service and notes prior arrests for fraud and theft. His death is one of over 50 in ICE custody since President Trump returned to office, and the first ruled an accident.
The New RepublicAfghan U.S. Military Ally Dies in ICE Custody from Allergic Reaction; Death Certificate Raises Questions
Mohammad Nazeer Paktiawal, an Afghan man who served with U.S. special forces for over a decade, died in ICE custody on March 13, 2026, after an allergic reaction. His death certificate, released three months later, lists the cause as an adverse drug reaction to an unidentified substance, triggering anaphylaxis and exacerbated asthma. The certificate also notes methamphetamine effects, which family and friends deny he used. Advocacy group AfghanEvac reports the certificate falsely states he died on March 12, a day before his detention. Paktiawal was detained while dropping his children at preschool, complained of chest pain and shortness of breath that evening, was transferred to Parkland Hospital, and died the next morning. ICE claims no record of his military service and cites prior arrests for fraud and theft. His family has not received an autopsy report, withheld due to a pending federal criminal investigation. This is the first death ruled an accident among over 50 in ICE custody since President Trump returned to office.
The New Republic