San Diego Padres staff member detained by ICE in El Paso
Oswaldo Pirela, a catching coordinator for the San Diego Padres, was taken into Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody at El Paso airport while traveling home to Arizona.
A player-development staff member for the San Diego Padres was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at El Paso International Airport early Sunday morning. Oswaldo Pirela, 34, serves as a catching coordinator for the organization and had been in Texas to work with the club’s Triple-A affiliate.
According to his cousin, Jorge Pirela, the detention occurred between 4:00 a.m. and 4:30 a.m. Mountain Time as Pirela attempted to return to his home in Arizona, where he lives with his wife and two young daughters. He is being held at the El Paso Processing Center, and the Department of Homeland Security has been contacted for comment.
Jorge Pirela said his relative arrived in the United States from Venezuela in 2014 and filed for asylum, later entering the EB-2 visa process. He added that Pirela has repeatedly renewed his work authorization through the legal process.
The Padres confirmed they are aware of the detention and are gathering additional information, but declined to comment further. Major League Baseball noted the team is in contact with Pirela’s family.
The incident follows previous tensions between professional baseball organizations and immigration enforcement actions in the United States.