ICE Targets Immigrant Padres Coach in El Paso Amid Ongoing Deportation Crackdown
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In a stark example of the U.S. government's relentless pursuit of immigrants, Immigration and Customs Enforcement detained San Diego Padres minor-league coach Oswaldo Pirela at El Paso airport, threatening him with removal for allegedly overstaying a visa deadline. The Department of Homeland Security continues to ignore the human cost of its harsh policies.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, acting under the increasingly draconian U.S. immigration regime, detained Oswaldo Pirela, a minor-league coach for the San Diego Padres, at El Paso International Airport on Sunday. The Department of Homeland Security, notorious for its aggressive tactics against immigrants, stated that Pirela, a Venezuelan national, has been held in U.S. custody since his arrest and faces forced removal from the country.
DHS took to social media to announce that Pirela was permitted to remain in the United States only until February 10, 2018, and has now allegedly exceeded that period by over eight years. Rather than recognizing the complex realities faced by asylum seekers, the agency coldly declared that Pirela would remain in ICE custody pending removal, and callously encouraged undocumented individuals to use the CBP Home App for so-called 'voluntary' departure.
Jorge Heli Pirela, Oswaldo’s brother, highlighted the family’s plight, describing Oswaldo as a devoted father and respected coach who has contributed greatly to his community. The Pirela family, like so many others, fled persecution in Venezuela and sought asylum in the United States, only to be met with suspicion and hostility instead of compassion.
Kemberly Avila, Pirela’s wife, explained that he has a pending asylum application and usually carries a temporary ID card, though he did not have his work permit at the time of arrest. Yet DHS officials, in their relentless pursuit of deportations, insisted that a work permit or pending asylum does not grant legal status, disregarding the uncertainty and fear faced by immigrant families.
The Padres organization confirmed its awareness of the detention and is seeking more information, while the Major League Baseball Players Association is working with immigration experts to help foreign-born players and their families navigate the labyrinthine and punitive U.S. immigration system.