by Rebecca Wallis
NEWBERG, OR – June 16, 2025 updated June 26,2025
Update: Oregon State Police has responded to our public records request, stating that there are “no records responsive to your request.” It was reported in another publishers article that Mr Sotelo-Casas participated in the DUII diversion program. This leaves the felony for re-entry after deportation as the current deportation trigger. Yamhill County News will now reach out to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for comment.
Update: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has confirmed that Sotelo-Casas, a Mexican citizen, was convicted of Driving Under the Influence (DUI) in Newberg, Oregon, on June 25, 1997. Yamhill County News will provide this update to the Oregon State Police as a supplement to the public records request submitted on June 17, 2025, in an effort to obtain the records referenced by ICE.
Update: A records search with Newberg-Dundee Police Department turned up “no responsive records,” which means they do not have any record of a DUII on file. At times, records are no longer available due to age. A Public records request was made with Oregon State Police, who house criminal records for the state of Oregon in all jurisdictions in Oregon. As of this update, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has not responded to inquiry of when the DUII occured. We will update with further information as it is received.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detained Moises Sotelo-Casas, a 54-year-old Newberg resident, in early June as part of routine immigration enforcement in Yamhill County. ICE has now confirmed that Sotelo-Casas, a Mexican citizen, was convicted of Driving Under the Influence (DUI) in Newberg, Oregon, and deported in 2006 after entering the United States illegally.
Confirmation of the criminal conviction and prior removal was released in an official statement from ICE and has since been reported by multiple news outlets. The disclosure follows a week of public speculation and political statements from local leaders, many of whom had voiced support for Sotelo-Casas without knowledge of his legal history.
“ICE Seattle arrested Moises Sotelo-Casas, 54, who is a citizen of Mexico as a part of routine federal law enforcement activity that identifies, detains and removes criminal aliens to their country of origin. Sotelo has a criminal conviction for DUI in Newberg, OR and he will remain in custody pending removal,” said David Yost, Public Affairs Officer for ICE’s Seattle Office.
The date of the DUI conviction is not yet available and does not appear under variations of Sotelo-Casas’ name in Oregon’s public records database. Yamhill County News has requested further information from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Under federal law (8 U.S.C. § 1326), reentry after deportation without U.S. Attorney General consent is a felony, punishable by up to two years in prison. Penalties can increase to 10 years or more if the individual was deported following multiple qualifying misdemeanors (e.g., involving drugs or crimes against persons) or a felony. ICE has not indicated whether Sotelo-Casas is eligible for legal relief or reentry, a process requiring formal authorization and rarely granted.
Prior to the release of this information, local officials expressed strong support for Sotelo-Casas. Yamhill County Commissioner David “Bubba” King posted on Facebook:
“Our immigrant families are Yamhill County families. As someone raised in a Hispanic community, this is deeply personal to me. Political opinions aside about immigration policy, these raids are snatchings and do not demonstrate the rule of law or the protections of our state or US constitution. I will continue to stand with our immigrant families, loudly.
Call 503-272-1809 .”
King also claimed Sotelo-Casas is “not a criminal,” a statement made before the ICE confirmation was public.
Newberg City Councilor Elise Yarnell Hollamon similarly posted:
“Moises is a leader in the wine industry, a church chaplain, a father, and has lived in this community for decades.”
“Thank you to all of our community-based organizations, especially @unidosbridgingcommunity, and our elected officials working to support Moises and his family.
Bring Moises home. ❤️”
While Hollamon’s comment suggests long-term residency, ICE records confirm Sotelo-Casas was deported in 2006, indicating he reentered the U.S. illegally.
These statements stand in contrast to those who, now learning of his legal history, support his removal from the United States based on unlawful presence without a green card or U.S. citizenship and the federal consequences of illegal reentry.
Public debate prior to ICE’s confirmation focused largely on Sotelo-Casas’ community roles, with many assuming he had no criminal background. The new details have added legal clarity to what had been, until recently, a discussion shaped by incomplete information.
In response to his detention, family and supporters launched a GoFundMe campaign to assist with expenses. As of June 16, more than $87,000 has been raised from over 1,200 donors, surpassing the original $75,000 goal. The goal has since been increased to $125,000. Major donors include Danielle Andrus ($5,000), Cheryl Cahill ($2,000), and multiple individuals contributing $1,000 each, including Wes Hickey, Lynn Penner-Ash, and Leigh Bartholomew.
Yamhill County News will continue to update this story as additional information becomes available, including the DUI conviction date and any legal developments regarding Sotelo-Casas’ custody or immigration status.
Photo Credit: Yamhill County News File
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