Afghan national who fought with U.S. forces died of allergic reaction in ICE custody

newsJul 7, 2026228,889

Mohammad Nazeer Paktiawal, 41, died March 14 at a Dallas hospital after an “adverse drug reaction” to an unidentified substance triggered anaphylaxis and exacerbated his asthma, the death certificate says; the death was ruled an accident. Paktiawal was arrested March 13 in Richardson, Texas, as part of deportation proceedings while his pending asylum claim remained unresolved; he had been evacuated from Afghanistan in 2021 after fighting alongside U.S. Special Forces. ICE said he denied medical conditions and allergies during intake; hours later he experienced shortness of breath and chest pain in a holding room and was taken to Parkland Memorial Hospital. Hospital staff the next morning noted tongue swelling while he was eating breakfast, administered epinephrine, and he was pronounced dead about 40 minutes later after life-saving measures failed. The certificate lists anaphylaxis complicating acute asthma exacerbation as the cause of death and names the toxic effects of methamphetamine, heart disease, and cigarette smoking as contributing factors; relatives said they did not know him to use meth and a family autopsy could not confirm meth because no blood remained for testing. Advocates and two members of Congress, including Sen. Richard Blumenthal, have pressed Texas authorities and the Department of Homeland Security to release the autopsy report; Texas officials have withheld the autopsy, citing a pending criminal investigation. ICE has pointed to prior arrests for food stamp fraud and theft, though Paktiawal had not been convicted in those cases, and his wife said ICE agents rejected her attempt to give his inhaler when he was taken into custody.

NBC News

@nbcnews.com

An Afghan national who fought alongside U.S. forces has died from an allergic reaction while in ICE custody, one day after he was detained for deportation proceedings, his death certificate shows. www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...

873145d ago

ErwinSchrodinger490

He never should have been in fucking custody! Betraying allies makes America less safe, and endangers military servicemembers across the globe. Trump and his idiot followers do not get that simple fact. They just love the cruelty.

NBC News352

ICE defended its decision to target Mohammad Nazeer Paktiawal for deportation, though he had not been convicted in any case. www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...

Max Burbank211

When all of this is over and we discover just what the death toll in our concentration camps was, people all over the world will be appalled, but only here in the US will there be surprise.

minutesdrag.bsky.social112

“Unidentified”?!!! WHAT did they give him in ICE detention?! THEY are responsible. This was NO accident!! This was homicide! 🤬

singerindy.bsky.social99

The US KILLED AN AFGHAN ALLY WHO ASSISTED THE US MILITARY. 💔 WHERE ARE THE VETERANS GROUPS ON THIS?

FBPundit76

“It may be dangerous to be America's enemy, but to be America's friend is fatal." -Henry Kissinger. Trump’s Administration proves this adage every day.

Quoting this

Rep. LuluLenin (D)11

if the united states invades your country then you should absolutely not work with them.

Freebird7

This man EARNED the right to become an American citizen, more so than many native born. My heart breaks for his family. ABOLISH ICE GESTAPO.

Erika Wittekind5

ICE was deporting this man because he had been "arrested on food stamp fraud and theft charges." Not tried, not convicted. What's stopping them from fabricating charges on any non-citizen and then using that as an excuse to deport them before they have to present evidence at trial? Anything?

Ignoble Jim R Houghton3

It is so against self-interest to screw over our own veterans, and employees and allies from other countries. And yet Western, and Anglo in particular, countries seem unable to help themselves.

julie khaner2

never work with or for the fucking americans

Andy S in Utah2

I worked with many local linguistics while I was in Iraq. I was impressed with how devoted they were to their country and how they wanted to create a new Iraq where could have a voice. Some were severely injured over 500 fatality. Wonder how many are in custody.

Randi Weingarten 🖇️📚✊🇺🇸

@rweingarten.bsky.social

A man who aided American servicemembers in Afghanistan died in ICE custody, but authorities have failed to give his family answers about his death. The lack of transparency and accountability from ICE as tragedies such as this continue in their camps is unacceptable. www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...

4045d ago

Shihab S Joi

@shihabsjoi.bsky.social

All other 50 deaths in ICE custody "have been blamed on natural causes or suicide" fuck off just fuck off. They're torturing them to death 😡

3245d ago

Adrian Carrasquillo

@adriancarrasquillo.bsky.social

This is disgusting Former Afghan ally who died in ICE custody suffered an allergic reaction, death certificate says apnews.com/article/afgh... via @thebulwark.com

2746d ago

RoseMarie

@rosesbloom24.bsky.social

and why the death certificate lists the injury date as the day before he entered ICE custody.

1545d ago

Michael

@michaelnaphys.bsky.social

ICE killed another person. This time, an Afghan National who served in the military of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and fought alongside the US armed forces against the Taliban insurgency. www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...

1045d ago

newmexicanextexan.bsky.social

@newmexicanextexan.bsky.social

Death of former Afghan ally while in ICE custody ruled an accident www.texastribune.org/2026/07/06/a... Shame. The US is a treacherous ally. Nobody should trust us.

945d ago

Charles Keener

@charleskeener.bsky.social

The family of Geraldo Lunas Campos, a 55-year-old Cuban immigrant whose death in ICE custody was ruled a likely homicide, is suing four guards and the companies that oversaw Camp East Montana — a sprawling immigration detention tent camp at the Fort Bliss military base in El Paso, Texas.

944d ago

Pauline Park

@paulinepark.bsky.social

"Mohammad Nazeer Paktiawal's sudden death in #ICE custody has drawn outrage because he had risked his life fighting as an ally of US Special Forces in Afghanistan for a decade": that's gratitude for you~! The next time the US goes to war, who will fight with us...? www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...

445d ago

Ray Beckerman

@raybeckerman.bsky.social

Democracy Forward to Launch an Investigation into the Death of Afghan Immigrant Mohammad Nazeer Paktiawal in ICE Custody democracyforward.org/blog/democra...

545d ago

Diane

@dyn13.bsky.social

Another 'Death by ICE'. This on top of the 80+ year old man who just died in ICE custody. Incredibly infuriating.

245d ago

Green Hombre

@greenhombre.bsky.social

Until the murderers are in custody and facing charges, ICE is operating as a legal death squad in the USA. That is why it should no longer exist. Defund the death squad.

346d ago

greatgrandmacindy.bsky.social

@greatgrandmacindy.bsky.social

They denied him his inhaler. Did they substitute his inhaler for an ICE special inhaler??? Because they are ICE, any so-called investigation will go nowhere. ICE is a Trump sanctioned death squad. Any death in their custody is either an accident or suicide. End of investigation.

145d ago

Megan McGibney

@meganmcgibney.bsky.social

“ICE has defended its decision to target Paktiawal for deportation, noting he had been arrested on food stamp fraud and theft charges. He had not been convicted in either case.” #afghanistan #ICE www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...

45d ago

CafeOlait 🇺🇦 ☮ 🟦

@cafeolait.bsky.social

This is how Trump says thank you to brave Afghanis. Afghan national who fought with U.S. forces died of allergic reaction in ICE custody buff.ly/DOXSj9P

45d ago

1 source

nbcnews.comAfghan national who fought with U.S. forces died of allergic reaction in ICE custody

Midtown Manhattan building evacuated after structural failure warningsnews ICE officer fatally shoots Mexican man in Houston during traffic stopnews Administration demands states change voting rules or lose antiterrorism fundsnews BBC exposes jailers at Russia's 'torture prisons' in Ukrainenews

Afghan national who fought with U.S. forces died of allergic reaction in ICE custody

Related