Texas ICE Detainee Mysteriously Dies While in Custody

A criminal illegal immigrant has recently died while in U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody, and the mysterious cause is still under investigation.

He Was Only in Custody for One Day

41-year-old Mohammad Nazeer Paktiawal from Afghanistan was only in ICE custody for one day before he was pronounced dead at a Dallas hospital.

Paktiawal's criminal history began back in September of 2025 where he was arrested for SNAP fraud. His second arrest came in November 2025 for theft.

Paktiawal was then arrested by ICE on March 13 as a part of a "targeted enforcement action," according to the news release by ICE. He was then held in a facility to await immigration proceedings and processing.

Somehow, He Struggled to Breathe

Later that day, Paktiawal complained of chest pains and shortness of breath which prompted a call to Emergency Medical Services. He was then taken to Parkland Hospital to receive treatment, ultimately spending the night for observation.

It's important to note that Paktiawal did not report a prior medical history following his detention.

The next morning, on March 14, Paktiawal was up and able to eat breakfast. However, medical staff noticed that he was having difficulty swallowing due to his tongue becoming swollen. His health complications then escalated to the point where lifesaving efforts continued to fail.

Mohammad Nazeer Paktiawal was declared deceased at 9:10 a.m. on March 14. No cause of death has been released at this point.

His next of kin was notified, and ICE will be following their legal obligation of publicizing Paktiawal's death within 90 days, as required in the 2018 DHS Appropriations Bill.

You can view every ICE detainee death since 2018 on the ice.gov website.