Oregon Vineyard Manager's ICE Deportation Impacts Family and Local Wine Industry
Moises Sotelo, a longtime vineyard manager in Oregon's Willamette Valley, was detained by ICE in June and subsequently deported to Mexico in July, ending more than three decades of residence in the United States. His deportation occurred amid a wider ICE enforcement crackdown described as a Trump-era policy, which proceeded despite strong community support and calls for intervention.
Following his removal, Moises's daughter, Alondra Sotelo Garcia, returned to Newberg, Oregon, to take over the family's vineyard-management company with the aim of preserving local jobs. Alondra faced significant challenges due to her limited experience, relying heavily on a former mentee of Moises and an office administrator to maintain vineyard operations.
Meanwhile, Moises's wife, Irma Sotelo, joined him in Mexico, where the family has started rebuilding their lives, including purchasing a house and managing renovations. The family now navigates the financial and emotional complexities of living split between the US and Mexico, with Alondra supporting them financially.
The local wine industry and economy have also felt the repercussions of this upheaval. Willamette Valley, home to over 700 wineries, is experiencing strain amid the lowest global wine sales for the region since 1961, highlighting the broader economic ripple effects.
Controversy surrounds the circumstances of Moises's deportation; ICE claimed he entered the US in 2006 and had a DUI conviction. However, local prosecutors reported no record of any DUI, and a vineyard owner affirmed that Moises had been working in the area since the mid-1990s.
