IMMIGRATION STRIKE OUT

Pro Baseball Coach Detained by ICE

Oswaldo Pirela’s family says he was seized at an airport during a routine work trip—and nobody will tell them why.

A San Diego Padres coach has been detained by immigration officers at an airport while he was traveling for work. Oswaldo José Pirela, the club’s minor-league catching coordinator, was taken into custody at El Paso International Airport in Texas at about 5 a.m. Sunday, his sister Daniela told NBC News. Pirela, who was raised in Venezuela, sought asylum after entering the U.S. in 2014 and shares a home near Phoenix with his two American-born daughters. ICE’s online database listed him as detained late Monday, while Daniela said relatives had received no reason for his arrest. “He did everything lawfully as the U.S. asks,” she said. “He loves this country.” The Padres said in a statement, “We are working to gather additional information and will not have any further comment at this time.” The family has appealed to Arizona Rep. Abraham Hamadeh for help.