“We recently learned of the arrest of minor league catching coordinator Oswaldo Pirela in El Paso, Texas,” the Padres said in a statement. “We are working to gather additional information and will not be commenting further at this time.”
Pirela’s wife, Kemberly Ávila, has been in contact with him. She told The Athletic that her family members carry temporary identification cards and have pending asylum claims, and that they have had no previous encounters with immigration officials.
“On August 16, 2026, Border Patrol arrested Oswaldo José Pirela Domínguez, an illegal alien from Venezuela, at the El Paso International Airport,” the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement to The Athletic. “He entered the country legally on September 10, 2014, and the Obama administration granted him permission to remain in the country until February 10, 2018. In violation of our nation’s laws, he overstayed his welcome. When approached by law enforcement, he was not in possession of legal documentation granting him status in the country. He will remain in ICE custody pending deportation proceedings and will receive due process.
“To be clear, work authorization or a pending application does NOT confer legal status in the United States.”
The Padres’ Triple-A affiliate is located in El Paso. Pirela was traveling to his home in Arizona.
