San Diego Padres minor-league catching coordinator Oswaldo Pirela was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement at El Paso International Airport on Sunday morning, the team confirmed. Pirela, who is from Venezuela, was not carrying his work permit card at the time, his brother told The Athletic.
“We recently became aware of the detainment of minor-league catching coordinator Oswaldo Pirela in El Paso, Texas,” the Padres said in a statement. “We are working to gather additional information and will not have any further comment at this time.”
Pirela’s wife, Kemberly Avila, has been in contact with him. She told The Athletic that members of their family carry temporary ID cards and have pending asylum applications, and that they’ve had no previous encounters with immigration officials.
“On August 16, 2026, Border Patrol arrested Oswaldo Jose Pirela Dominguez, an illegal alien from Venezuela, at the El Paso International Airport,” the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement to The Athletic. “He entered the country legally on September 10, 2014, and was granted permission by the Obama administration to remain in the country until February 10, 2018. In violation of our nation’s laws, he overstayed his welcome. 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.
“To be clear, work authorization or a pending application do NOT confer legal status in the United States.”
The Padres’ Triple-A affiliate is located in El Paso. Pirela was traveling home to Arizona.
