San Diego Padres catching coordinator detained by ICE
AP News • • sports
Key Points:
- Oswaldo Pirela, a Venezuelan former baseball player and catching coach for the San Diego Padres' minor league system, was detained by U.S. immigration officers upon arriving in El Paso, Texas, on a work trip.
- Pirela, who has lived in the U.S. for 12 years and applied for asylum in 2015, is currently held in an El Paso detention center pending removal, according to federal records and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
- DHS stated that Pirela entered the U.S. legally in 2014 with permission to stay until 2018 but overstayed, and that work authorization or pending applications do not grant legal status.
- The Padres acknowledged Pirela's arrest and are seeking more information, while his family insists he has followed U.S. laws throughout his residency.
- Pirela previously had a brief minor-league playing career as a catcher with the Texas Rangers organization.
