Luis Antonio Rosendo-Frontado, a 35-year-old youth baseball coach in the Houston area, was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement on August 23 after a routine immigration check-in. Rosendo-Frontado is currently held at the IAH Polk Adult Detention Facility in Livingston, roughly 75 miles from Katy, Texas, where he coaches the Katy Rebels youth baseball team and runs a baseball academy.
An ICE spokesperson told the Houston Chronicle that Rosendo-Frontado entered the U.S. illegally on November 16, 2021, and was released under the Biden administration’s catch-and-release policy without extensive vetting. He remains in custody pending the outcome of his immigration proceedings. The spokesperson added that Rosendo-Frontado is free to leave detention if he chooses, provided he agrees to leave the country. ICE is offering $3,000 and a free flight for voluntary departure through the CBP Home App, encouraging undocumented immigrants to self-deport rather than face arrest and removal without the chance to return legally.
Rosendo-Frontado’s family and the baseball community have responded with support and concern. His family maintains he has no criminal record and is seeking asylum after relocating from Venezuela years ago. Luis Antonio Rosendo-Frontado released a statement through a GoFundMe page set up to cover his legal fees and provide updates on his case, saying, “This process is not easy, but you have given me so much strength. Beyond all the support, your prayers keep me standing. Seeing the kids and everyone filled me with great joy. There is still so much to do for all the kids. God knows the purpose I have for them and their future. We will be together again soon, with the immense blessing of Almighty God.”
The Katy Rebels baseball team has rallied around their coach, posting on Instagram, “Our coach. Our mentor. A leader who has dedicated his time and knowledge to helping young athletes grow on and off the field. The Rebels family stands together for Coach Rosendo and his family. Bring Coach Rosendo home. We stand with Rosendo!”
Francisco Flores, a parent of one of the Rebels players and organizer of the GoFundMe, said lawyers are preparing a habeas corpus petition to challenge Rosendo-Frontado’s continued detention and to seek his release while his immigration case proceeds. Flores described Rosendo-Frontado as “more than a youth baseball coach—he is a mentor, a role model, and a cornerstone of our community,” adding that the process could take months but the team and families remain fully supportive.
Rosendo-Frontado’s detention has sparked questions about the impact on the local youth baseball scene and the families who see him as a mentor. The Katy Rebels continue to advocate publicly for his return while legal efforts to secure his release unfold.
According to Yahoo Sports.