San Diego Padres coach Oswaldo Pirela detained by ICE

Oswaldo José Pirela Domínguez, a former baseball player and current minor league catcher coordinator for the San Diego Padres, has been detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The 34-year-old Venezuelan national was intercepted by Border Patrol agents at El Paso International Airport while traveling for professional duties.

Pirela’s family maintains that he has maintained legal residency and work authorization since seeking asylum in 2014, noting he was in the process of applying for an EB-2 visa. They stated that while he did not have his physical work authorization card on him at the time of the arrest, his permits were valid.

However, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stated that while Pirela entered the country legally in 2014, his authorized stay expired on February 10, 2018. DHS officials noted that he has remained in the country for over eight years beyond his authorized period and emphasized that a work permit or a pending application does not equate to legal immigration status. Pirela remains in custody pending deportation proceedings.