Overview
- Federal agents stopped Oswaldo Pirela at El Paso International Airport on Sunday and Immigration and Customs Enforcement records show he remains at the El Paso Processing Center pending removal proceedings.
- The Department of Homeland Security says Pirela entered the U.S. in 2014, was authorized to stay until February 10, 2018, allegedly overstayed and lacked documentation when approached, and noted that work permits or pending applications do not grant lawful status.
- Pirela’s family says he filed for asylum after arriving from Venezuela, has a valid work authorization issued in 2024 and was traveling for a routine work trip with the Padres when detained, though reports conflict on whether he had his physical work‑permit card at the time.
- The San Diego Padres say they are gathering information and assisting as appropriate, and the family has hired an attorney and asked their U.S. representative to intervene while they press for clarity and his release.
- Immigration lawyers warn removal proceedings can take months and that recent reporting shows an increase in airport arrests of people with expired visas but active immigration cases, making this case a test of how enforcement and pending claims interact.