Oregon Vineyard Manager's Deportation Highlights Family and Economic Struggles in Wine Industry
Moises Sotelo, a longtime vineyard manager in Oregon's Willamette Valley, was detained by ICE in June 2025 and deported to Mexico in July. Following his deportation, his daughter Alondra Sotelo Garcia returned to Newberg, Oregon to manage the family vineyard business and finalize her father's affairs.
Irma Sotelo, Moises’s wife, left the United States to join him in Mexico with support from GoFundMe contributions, planning to retire there. Meanwhile, Alondra continues to operate the vineyard management company with assistance from a former mentee and an office administrator, striving to maintain operations amid a challenging global wine market downturn.
The deportation of Moises Sotelo sparked national and local outcry, as officials highlighted the disruption caused by ICE raids to both the economy and community families. The downturn in the wine industry is particularly acute in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, home to approximately 700 wineries. Global wine sales have fallen to their lowest level since 1961, with agriculture in the region experiencing ripple effects from immigration enforcement actions.
The Guardian situates Moises Sotelo's case within the broader context of Trump-era immigration crackdowns, noting Alondra Sotelo Garcia among many Americans working to rebuild family and business after such deportations.
