US Lawmakers Demand Investigation After Afghan Asylum Seeker Dies In Custody
US lawmakers have called for accountability following the death of an Afghan asylum seeker in immigration detention.
US lawmakers have called for accountability following the death of an Afghan asylum seeker in immigration detention.
Democratic congresswoman Julie Johnson said Thursday she had requested answers from immigration authorities after reports that Mohammad Nazir Paktiawal, a former Afghan soldier, died at Parkland hospital a day after being detained outside his apartment in Richardson.
US immigration authorities have not announced the cause of death and said investigations are ongoing.
Paktiawal was a former member of Afghanistan’s special forces who had worked alongside US military special forces. He was relocated to the United States in 2021 with his family and had been living under temporary humanitarian parole, which expired in August 2025.
He lived in Texas with his wife and six children and worked at a grocery store.
In a letter to the head of the immigration agency, Johnson raised concerns about reported poor conditions and inadequate healthcare in detention centres and sought details about Paktiawal’s detention and medical condition.
She said the death appeared to be linked to what she described as reckless decisions by the agency and unnecessary detention.
Earlier, Democratic congressman Marc Veasey also called for an investigation into the case, saying the death raised urgent questions that required a full and transparent inquiry.
He added that the death of a former Afghan soldier who had supported US forces could send a troubling signal about whether the United States stands by its partners.
According to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Paktiawal experienced shortness of breath and chest pain after being detained and was taken to hospital.
The incident comes amid broader concerns about conditions in immigration detention. According to sources, at least 32 people have died in such facilities since the start of President Donald Trump’s second term, raising concerns about the treatment of migrants, particularly Afghan asylum seekers.
