Padres Minor League Coach Oswaldo Pirela Detained by ICE at El Paso Airport
San Diego Padres minor-league catching coordinator Oswaldo Pirela remains in federal immigration custody following his detention by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers at El Paso International Airport in Texas while traveling for work, according to Department of Homeland Security statements and family accounts reported across multiple outlets.
The arrest of the 34-year-old player development staffer places a major-league baseball organization directly into the friction points of federal immigration enforcement. Pirela, a married father of two daughters based out of Arizona, was in Texas to work with the Padres’ Triple-A affiliate when law enforcement approached him early Monday morning around 4:00 a.m. to 4:30 a.m.
Legal Status and Department of Homeland Security Allegations
Federal authorities maintain that Pirela overstayed the terms of his initial entry into the United States. According to Department of Homeland Security statements reported by ABC News and CNN, Pirela entered the country from Venezuela in 2014 and held permission to remain until February 2018. When approached by law enforcement at the El Paso airport, the agency stated he lacked legal documentation granting him status to remain in the country.
“When approached by law enforcement officers, he was not in possession of legal documentation granting him status in the country. He will remain in ICE custody pending removal proceedings and will receive due process,” the Department of Homeland Security stated. The agency additionally clarified that work authorization or a pending application does not confer legal status within the United States.
Conversely, family members emphasize that Pirela pursued all correct legal channels following his arrival. His brother, Jorge Pirela, stated in an Instagram post cited by ABC News that the family fled persecution from the Venezuelan regime and sought safety through proper asylum channels. His cousin Jorge Pirela told CNN that Pirela continuously renewed his work authorization as expiration dates approached and was actively progressing through the EB-2 visa process.
Broader Institutional Impact and Team Response
Major League Baseball organizations have increasingly intersected with shifting federal immigration policies. Last summer, the Los Angeles Dodgers publicly denied ICE entry to parking lots outside Dodger Stadium during regional sweeps, drawing large protests and highlighting tensions in Southern California. The detention of Pirela highlights how heightened federal enforcement operations reach employees within professional sports operations.
The San Diego Padres acknowledged the situation through an official statement provided to media outlets. “We recently became aware of the detainment of minor league catching coordinator Oswaldo Pirela in El Paso, Texas,” the team said. “We are working to gather additional information and will not have any further comment at this time.” Major League Baseball confirmed the organization has been in touch with Pirela’s family.
Pirela joined the Padres organization in 2024, according to a LinkedIn profile confirmed by his family. Prior to his coaching career, he played for the Texas Rangers from July 2008 to November 2011 and worked in landscape management after arriving in the United States in 2014.
Pirela remains held at the El Paso Processing Center awaiting removal proceedings, where federal authorities maintain he will receive standard due process.