Daughter Takes Over Family Business After Father Is Deported Following 30 Years in the U.S.
When Alondra Sotelo Garcia learned that her father had been deported to Mexico after nearly three decades of living and working in the United States, the news was devastating. Almost immediately, it also placed the future of her family’s business in jeopardy.
Her father, Moises Sotelo-Casas, had built a livelihood through years of work, becoming a respected figure in his industry and a provider for his family. His deportation abruptly removed the backbone of both the household and the business, leaving Sotelo Garcia to step into a leadership role she never expected to assume.
With little time to prepare, Sotelo Garcia took over day-to-day operations, managing responsibilities that ranged from overseeing work schedules to handling financial and logistical decisions. Friends and advocates say the transition has been emotionally and financially challenging, underscoring how immigration enforcement can have immediate ripple effects on families and local economies.
“This didn’t just take my father away,” Sotelo Garcia has said in interviews. “It took away our stability.”
Supporters of the family launched a GoFundMe campaign to help cover legal fees, living expenses, and business-related costs following the deportation. The fundraiser describes the sudden loss of income and the strain placed on Sotelo Garcia as she works to keep the business running while supporting her family from afar.
The campaign can be found here:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-the-sotelo-family-with-expenses-after-ice-detainment
Advocates say the Sotelo family’s experience reflects a broader pattern affecting mixed-status families across the United States, where the deportation of one family member can lead to business closures, housing instability, and long-term economic hardship.
Despite the uncertainty, Sotelo Garcia has remained determined to preserve the business her father spent decades building. She continues to stay in close contact with him in Mexico while navigating the realities of running the operation on her own.
For Sotelo Garcia, taking over the family business is about more than survival. It is an effort to protect her father’s legacy and maintain a sense of continuity in the face of sudden and life-altering separation.
