San Diego Padres staffer raised in Venezuela is detained by ICE in Texas as his emotional sister speaks out
Oswaldo Jose Pirela, a minor-league catching coordinator for the San Diego Padres, has been detained by ICE in El Paso, Texas.
Family members and ICE detainee records show Pirela was still in custody as of late Monday. According to his sister, the Venezuela-born coach was detained at around 5 a.m. on Sunday at El Paso International Airport while traveling for work with the Padres.
His wife, Kemberly Avila, told The Athletic he was flying home to his family in Arizona. The Padres’ Triple-A affiliate is based in El Paso, and his brother shared that he was not carrying his work permit card when he was detained. The Padres are working with his family to assist them.
‘We recently became aware of the detainment of minor league catching coordinator Oswaldo Pirela in El Paso, Texas,’ the Major League Baseball team said in a statement. ‘We are working to gather additional information and will not have any further comment at this time.’
The Daily Mail has contacted ICE for comment.
Oswaldo Jose Pirela, a catching coordinator with the Padres, has been detained by ICE
Pirela and his family lives in Arizona, where the Padres host their spring training each year
In an emotional interview with NBC, sister Daniela Pirela said he sought asylum in the U.S. when he first arrived in 2014 and is in the country legally. She is unsure why processing his case has taken so long.
‘He did everything lawfully as the U.S. asks,’ she said. ‘He loves this country.’
‘He’s a very strong person and he tries not to worry us. He’s going to say he’s OK. That’s what he said.’
According to his LinkedIn, Oswaldo Pirela has been with the Padres since January 2024. He has two U.S.-born daughters.
‘Oswaldo, like me and other members of our family, was directly affected by persecution from the Venezuelan regime,’ brother Jorge Heli Pirela said on Instagram.
‘We came to the United States seeking safety through the legal process, applied for asylum through the proper channels, and have worked hard to build our lives and become contributing members of American society.’
He called Oswaldo ‘a devoted father, a dedicated coach, an exceptional worker, and someone who has earned the respect of his coworkers, former managers, employers, players, and the communities he has been part of.’
According to his LinkedIn, Pirela has been with the Padres since January 2024
His sister believes he was targeted due to his active asylum case, saying: ‘There isn’t a reason why they detained him. They still haven’t told us.’
The family has publicly asked for U.S. Rep. Abraham Hamadeh, R-Arizona, representing their home district, to intervene in the case and are hoping for his release and ‘due process’ while the family seeks a lawyer to help free him.
Pirela’s mother, Naivy Dominguez, asked supporters to ‘speak up’ and ‘tell the world who he truly is’.
She wrote on Instagram: ‘He is being unjustly detained, even though his lawful history in this country can be documented.
‘Today, his daughters are waiting for their father to come home. His family is waiting for him. His community is standing behind him.’
Pirela was signed by the Texas Rangers in 2009 and remained with the organization for three years, playing multiple positions for the Dominican Summer League Rangers in the minors, according to Major League Baseball records.
His mother said family members are awaiting his return to Arizona.
‘Today, his daughters are waiting for their father to come home,’ she said. ‘His family is waiting for him. His community is standing behind him.’