Oswaldo Jose Pirela, a minor-league catching coordinator for MLB team San Diego Padres, remains in federal immigration custody after being detained at an airport in El Paso, Texas, according to his family and ICE detainee records.
Pirela, who was born in Venezuela, was detained at approximately 5 a.m. Sunday at El Paso International Airport while traveling in connection with his work, his sister Daniela Pirela said. His wife, Kemberly Avila, told reporters that he was flying home to his family in Arizona.
The circumstances have left his relatives searching for answers.
Pirela’s brother said the coach did not have his work permit card with him when he was detained. His family maintains that Pirela is legally in the United States and has an active asylum case dating back to his arrival in 2014.
MLB Team responds to Pirela’s Detention
The Padres acknowledged the situation in a statement.
“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.”
The Padres’ Triple-A affiliate, the El Paso Chihuahuas, is based in the city. Pirela has worked for the Padres organization since January 2024, according to his LinkedIn profile.
Daniela Pirela told NBC that her brother sought asylum after arriving in the United States and said the family does not understand why his case has remained unresolved for so many years.
“He did everything lawfully as the U.S. asks,” she said. “He loves this country.”
She described her brother as someone who was trying to remain composed despite his detention.
“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.”
The family says Pirela came to the United States after experiencing persecution in Venezuela. His brother, Jorge Heli Pirela, discussed the family’s history in an Instagram post while appealing for assistance.
“Oswaldo, like other members of our family and me, was directly affected by persecution from the Venezuelan regime,” he wrote.
“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.”
Jorge described his brother as “a devoted father, a dedicated coach, an exceptional worker,” adding that he had earned the respect of people throughout his professional career.
Pirela has two daughters who were born in the United States.
Family Seeks Answers and Congressional Help
His sister said the family believes his active asylum case played a role in his detention, although immigration authorities have not confirmed that claim.
“There isn’t a reason why they detained him,” Daniela said. “They still haven’t told us.”
The family is now seeking legal help and has publicly called on U.S. Rep. Abraham Hamadeh, the Republican representing their Arizona district, to intervene. They are asking that Pirela receive due process as they work to secure his release.
His mother, Naivy Dominguez, has also taken the family’s appeal public, asking supporters to “speak up” and “tell the world who he truly is.”
“He is being unjustly detained, even though his lawful history in this country can be documented,” she wrote on Instagram.
Baseball Career Interrupted by ICE Custody
For Pirela, baseball in the United States stretches back well before his current coaching job. He signed with the Texas Rangers organization in 2009 and spent three years in its minor-league system. Major League Baseball records show that he played multiple positions for the Dominican Summer League Rangers.
Years later, he returned to professional baseball as a coach and eventually joined the Padres organization.
For now, however, his baseball career has been interrupted by a detention that his relatives say they still do not fully understand. ICE detainee records showed Pirela remained in custody as of late Monday while his family worked to find an attorney and sought assistance from elected officials.
Back in Arizona, his mother said the immediate concern is much more personal than baseball.
“Today, his daughters are waiting for their father to come home,” Dominguez said. “His family is waiting for him. His community is standing behind him.”
