Minor League Baseball Coach Detained by ICE in El Paso
Oswaldo Pirela, a Venezuelan former baseball player working as a minor league catching coach for the San Diego Padres and residing in Arizona, was detained by U.S. immigration officers upon his arrival in El Paso, Texas, for a work trip. According to his sister, Daniela Pirela, Oswaldo was arrested around 5 a.m. on Sunday at an El Paso airport. The Padres have a minor league affiliate, the El Paso Chihuahuas, in the city. Daniela Pirela stated that her 34-year-old brother has lived in the U.S. for 12 years, has consistently followed the law, and applied for asylum in 2015. He lives in Peoria, Arizona, with his wife and two children, aged 9 and 4, both of whom are U.S. citizens. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed that Pirela entered the country legally in 2014 with permission to stay until 2018, but subsequently "overstayed his welcome." DHS clarified that work authorization or pending applications do not confer U.S. legal status, and Pirela is currently in ICE custody pending removal. 
