Padres Minor League Coach Oswaldo Pirela Detained by ICE During Work Trip
Oswaldo José Pirela, the San Diego Padres' minor-league catching coordinator, was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at El Paso International Airport on Sunday. Pirela was traveling for a work assignment related to the Padres' player-development operation, which includes their Triple-A affiliate, the El Paso Chihuahuas. He was preparing to return to his home in Arizona, where he lives with his wife and two U.S.-born daughters. As of Tuesday morning, an ICE detainee search indicated Pirela remained at the El Paso Processing Center. The Padres organization confirmed the detainment but did not provide details on the reason. Pirela's family states he came to the U.S. from Venezuela in 2014, applied for asylum, and has a pending case. They also claim he has work authorization, though a report from The Athletic noted he was not carrying his physical work-permit card when detained. ICE has not publicly offered a detailed explanation for his continued custody. 
