The San Diego Padres minor league catching coordinator Oswaldo Pirela, who was detained by federal immigration officers in Texas, has been released on bond and returned home, his sister Daniela Pirela said Tuesday, as reported by infohub.kz.
Pirela, a Venezuelan national living in Arizona, was released on Monday and reunited with his family. The Padres confirmed that Pirela is no longer in custody. In a statement, the team said: "We are pleased that Oswaldo Pirela has been released on bond and reunited with his family. Out of respect for his privacy and the ongoing matter, we will have no further comment at this time."
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detained Pirela at the El Paso International Airport during a work trip on Aug. 16. The Padres have a minor league affiliate in that city, the El Paso Chihuahuas.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has previously said Pirela came to the U.S. legally in 2014 and "overstayed his welcome" after 2018. However, his family disputes this, saying Pirela had applied for asylum and obtained work permits. DHS did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday.
Pirela had a brief minor-league playing career as a catcher in the Texas Rangers organization.