Key facts
- Oswaldo Pirela, a minor league catching coordinator for the San Diego Padres, has been released from ICE custody.
- Pirela was detained by federal immigration officers in El Paso, Texas, on August 16.
- His family confirmed his release on bond on Tuesday.
- Pirela is from Venezuela and resides in Arizona.
- The Department of Homeland Security stated Pirela entered the U.S. legally in 2014 and overstayed his visa after 2018.
Oswaldo Pirela, a minor league coaching coordinator for the San Diego Padres, has been released from federal immigration custody in Texas. His family confirmed his release on bond on Tuesday, stating he was back home in Arizona. Pirela, who is from Venezuela, was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on August 16 at El Paso International Airport. The Padres organization confirmed that Pirela, who serves as a catching coordinator in their minor league system, is no longer in custody. The Department of Homeland Security had previously stated that Pirela entered the U.S. legally in 2014 and had overstayed his visa after 2018, a claim his family disputes, asserting he had applied for asylum and obtained work permits. Pirela also had a brief minor-league playing career as a catcher in the Texas Rangers organization.