Ex-Texas Rangers prospect and San Diego Padres coach arrested by ICE at airport
EL PASO, Texas - A former Texas Rangers minor league baseball player who is now a coach for the San Diego Padres was arrested by United States Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agents.
Oswaldo Pirela, a 34 husband and father, was taken into custody by ICE agents on Sunday at El Paso International Airport. He was returning home from a work trip when he was approached by law enforcement officers.
Padres coach detained at Texas airport
What we know:
Pirela has ties to North Texas after signing with the Texas Rangers in 2009 and playing for their minor league team for three years. He now works as a minor league catching coordinator for the San Diego Padres.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, Pirela entered the U.S. legally in September 2014 and was granted permission by the Obama administration to remain in the country until Feb. 10, 2018.
DHS officials said he overstayed his welcome, violating national immigration laws. He also wasn’t carrying any legal documentation granting him status to be in the country.
Pirela's brother shared that the family has pending asylum applications with temporary ID cards, though Pirela apparently did not have his work permit card with him when he was detained.
Legal process and team response
What they're saying:
Immigration attorney Eric Cedillo, who is not involved in the case, provided context on what Pirela could face moving forward.
"If he does have a final deportation order, then he may be relatively limited in terms of what he can do, because the courts have already made a determination," Cedillo said. "Now, he may have the possibility of a potential for appeal, especially if he didn't receive notification of what was going on. That'd probably be with the BIA, the Board of Immigration Appeals, or some other type of situation. But what they're doing currently, unfortunately, is they're holding and they're detaining people in these detention facilities until an ultimate hearing is done and that could be months."
The San Diego Padres said they are aware of the situation and are working to gather additional information, adding that they will not have any further comment at this time.
What's next:
According to DHS, Pirela will remain in ICE custody pending removal proceedings and will receive due process.
The Source: The information in this article comes from the Department of Homeland Security, the San Diego Padres, an interview with Oswaldo Pirela's brother, and legal analysis from immigration attorney Eric Cedillo.