Airport Detention Stuns Padres Staff
San Diego Padres minor-league catching coordinator Oswaldo José Pirela remains in federal custody after being detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in El Paso, Texas, according to family members and ICE detainee records.
Pirela was taken into custody at approximately 4 a.m. on Sunday at El Paso International Airport while attempting to fly home to his family in Arizona, his wife, Kemberly Avila, told The Athletic. The San Diego Padres maintain their Triple-A affiliate in El Paso, where Pirela had been working as part of the organization’s player development staff.
Missing Work Permit Precedes Arrest
According to his brother, Jorge Pirela, the 34-year-old catching coordinator and father of two was not carrying his work permit card at the exact time he was detained by immigration authorities. Avila stated that she and her husband have pending asylum applications and that all members of their household carry temporary identification cards.
Avila noted that Pirela had no prior encounters with immigration enforcement officials during his time living and working in the United States. He joined the Padres organization in January 2024, according to his LinkedIn profile.
Padres Organization Issues Statement
The San Diego Padres issued a formal statement on Monday addressing the situation. "We recently became aware of the detainment of minor league catching coordinator Oswaldo Pirela in El Paso, Texas," the organization stated. "We are working to gather additional information and will not have any further comment at this time."
Avila also confirmed that the Padres organization has been assisting her family as they work through the detainment.
Federal Officials Silent
Federal immigration records confirmed Pirela’s detention status, though local and national offices for the agency offered no immediate clarity. Messages transmitted to the ICE office in El Paso as well as the agency’s office of public affairs were not immediately returned. Telephone lines for the El Paso ICE facility rang unanswered, with an automated system informing callers that the office was closed.
