Moises Sotelo, a business owner from Newberg, Oregon, was apprehended on Thursday by federal immigration officials. Sotelo, who operates Novo Start Vineyard Service—a company that provides essential services such as pruning, pest control, and harvesting to vineyards in the Willamette Valley—was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) while en route to work early in the morning.
Details surrounding Sotelo’s arrest have not been disclosed by federal immigration enforcement officials. While an ICE detainee database confirms his custody, it remains unclear where he is currently held, whether he is still detained, or if he faces any charges. Following his arrest, rumors regarding immigration enforcement have circulated widely on social media within the Newberg community. In addition to his business, Sotelo serves as a chaplain at a local church.
An official from Innovation Law Lab, a Portland-based organization that operates as part of a rapid-response network supporting families affected by immigration actions, confirmed that federal officials were in Yamhill County on the same day as Sotelo’s arrest. Although the official acknowledged that at least one arrest was made, they did not provide any names.
A former employer of Sotelo, who spoke to OPB on the condition of anonymity to avoid potential repercussions for his own vineyard business, noted that Sotelo has been living in the U.S. since 1994 and was in the process of resolving his citizenship status. The former employer stated that he has known Sotelo since 2017 and believes he does not have any criminal record that would make him a target for deportation.
Concerns have risen among local vineyard employers in Yamhill County following a recent raid by federal authorities in California’s Central Coast and San Joaquin Valley agricultural regions earlier this week, where federal officials conducted enforcement actions in fields and packinghouses. This increase in enforcement has left many in the agricultural community feeling anxious. The former employer mentioned that vineyard owners are now discussing ways to protect their workers in light of these developments.
This arrest aligns with a broader trend of intensified immigration enforcement actions by the Trump administration in Oregon. Over the past two weeks, federal immigration officers have apprehended at least four asylum seekers outside a Portland courtroom following their hearings, signaling a significant escalation in enforcement efforts targeting vulnerable communities.
