San Diego Padres Minor-League Coordinator Detained by ICE

Oswaldo Pirela, the San Diego Padres’ minor-league catching coordinator, was taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at El Paso International Airport in Texas early Sunday morning. Pirela, a 34-year-old Venezuelan father of two, was traveling back to his family in Arizona after work with the organization’s Triple-A affiliate in El Paso. His wife, Kemberly Avila, confirmed that he was not carrying his work-permit card at the time of the stop.

New York Times

Pirela and his family have pending asylum applications and possess temporary identification cards, according to Avila. The family’s brother, Jorge Pirela, noted that Oswaldo has had no prior encounters with immigration officials during his residence in the United States. Pirela has been employed by the Padres organization since January 2024, as indicated by his professional profile.

New York Times

The Padres issued a brief statement acknowledging the detainment, saying they are working to gather additional information and will not comment further at this time. The organization also indicated that it is assisting the Pirela family with the situation. Attempts to contact ICE’s El Paso office and its public-affairs division were unsuccessful; phone calls went unanswered and an automated message indicated the facility was closed.

New York Times

As of the following Monday, neither ICE nor its public-affairs office had responded to inquiries from the Padres or the media. Avila reported that she remains in contact with her husband while the family awaits clarification of his immigration status. No further details about potential legal proceedings or a timeline for release have been provided.

New York Times