San Diego Padres minor-league catching coordinator Oswaldo Pirela remains in federal immigration custody following his arrest at El Paso International Airport on August 16, 2026. While his family maintains he has a pending asylum claim and valid work permits, federal authorities state he overstayed a 2014 tourist visa and faces removal proceedings.
The arrest unfolded early Sunday morning as Oswaldo Pirela prepared to fly home to Arizona after working with the El Paso Chihuahuas, the Padres’ Triple-A affiliate, during their home game against the Salt Lake City Bees. Pirela, a 34-year-old Venezuelan native who joined the Padres organization in January 2024, serves as a roving catching instructor based out of the team’s spring-training complex in Peoria, Arizona.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement records confirmed Pirela was in custody, where he will remain pending removal proceedings.
Department of Homeland Security Visa Claims and Family Disputes
The central dispute between federal officials and Pirela’s relatives centers on his legal status and the documents he held at the time of his arrest. A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security stated that Pirela entered the United States legally on September 10, 2014, with authorization to stay until February 10, 2018. DHS maintained that he overstayed that window and lacked proper documentation during the airport stop.
“To be clear, work authorization or a pending application do NOT confer legal status in the United States.”
Pirela’s family strongly disputed the government’s timeline and characterization. His brother Juan Pirela presented a work permit issued in 2024 and valid through 2029 to regional news organization Arizona’s Family. Relatives acknowledged that Oswaldo was not carrying his physical work-permit card when detained, though his wife, Kemberly Avila, noted that all family members carry temporary identification cards while navigating pending asylum applications.
In a formal statement translated from Spanish, the Pirela family questioned the 2018 expiration date cited by federal authorities, pointing out that visa stamp expirations do not automatically account for ongoing immigration proceedings or employment authorization. His brother Jorge Heli Pirela emphasized on Instagram that the family fled political persecution by the Venezuelan regime and sought safety through appropriate legal channels.
San Diego Padres Response and Major League Baseball Impact
The Padres issued a brief statement addressing the sudden detention of their minor-league catching coordinator.
Photo: Los Angeles Times
“We recently became aware of the detainment of minor league catching coordinator Oswaldo Pirela in El Paso, Texas. We are working to gather additional information and will not have any further comment at this time.”
San Diego Padres club, official statement
Avila stated that the Padres organization has been assisting the family through the ordeal. While coaches are not unionized under the Major League Baseball Players Association, the union issued a statement highlighting that a significant percentage of major and minor league personnel are born outside the United States. The MLBPA confirmed it works with immigration experts and club security to support players, staff, and their families with documentation and travel guidance.
San Diego Padres minor league catching coordinator detained by ICE in Texas
Pirela’s professional baseball career includes time with the Texas Rangers. He was originally signed by the Rangers at age 17 out of Barquisimeto, Venezuela, playing as a catcher, first baseman, and outfielder in the Dominican Summer League from 2009 to 2011. After moving into coaching roles, he spent the 2024 season as bench coach for the Class-A Lake Elsinore Storm before stepping into his current catching coordinator position in 2025.
Family Advocacy and Unresolved Removal Proceedings
His mother, Naivy Dominguez, and sister Daniela have publicly vouched for his character and community standing, noting that he lives outside Phoenix with his wife and two U.S.-born daughters.
Neither immigration courts nor federal agencies have specified when Pirela will make his next scheduled appearance regarding the pending removal proceedings. Family representatives continue working with legal counsel to challenge the detention.
