In Hertford County, North Carolina, preparations are underway to reopen the long-closed Rivers Correctional Institution in Winton as a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center. Internal documents indicate that the facility, owned by the GEO Group, a major private prison operator, could have a capacity of approximately 1,400 beds, which would make it one of the largest immigrant detention centers on the East Coast. The center is expected to become operational by late 2026, with contract negotiations still ongoing.

This development marks North Carolina’s first ICE detention facility of this scale and reflects the federal agency’s continued efforts to expand detention capacity amid shifting strategies. Though ICE has recently scaled back plans to purchase warehouse properties nationwide, it remains committed to increasing bed space by repurposing existing prison infrastructure in states with substantial immigrant populations such as North Carolina, Colorado, and Arizona. The agency’s push comes amid a backdrop of heightened immigration enforcement under the Trump administration, which took office in January 2025.

Since then, arrests by federal immigration agents in North Carolina have doubled compared to the previous two years, with more than 6,300 individuals detained, according to the Deportation Data Project. The state’s Republican-controlled legislature recently enacted laws mandating cooperation between local law enforcement and ICE, potentially driving further demand for detention facilities.

Hertford County, where Winton is located, is a predominantly Black community with a sizable Haitian and Mexican population and faces economic challenges including high poverty rates and limited job opportunities. Local officials, some of whom were not fully informed about the federal plans, have expressed mixed reactions. Mayor Weyling J. White of nearby Ahoskie voiced reservations about the impact of the detention center on the quality of life. Meanwhile, some residents see potential economic benefits from new employment opportunities, particularly given the closure of the prison in 2021 and ongoing job scarcity in the region.

The Rivers Correctional Institution previously faced criticism for poor conditions. A 2016 federal report highlighted high rates of inmate violence, contraband, drug use, and sexual misconduct when it was a privately operated prison. Staffing has been an ongoing issue for correctional facilities in North Carolina, raising questions about how the site will be managed upon reopening.

The ICE field office in Washington is expected to oversee the detention center’s operations, although the agency has not officially confirmed the facility’s opening. GEO Group did not respond to requests for comment, and ICE stated it has "no new detention centers to announce at this time," adding that the agency regularly expands detention space nationwide to support its enforcement activities.

The plans have sparked debate in Hertford County and surrounding areas, with immigrant rights groups warning the center could make North Carolina a major hub for ICE detentions along the East Coast. Activists have organized protests and urged transparency from public officials. Meanwhile, county commissioner Leroy Douglas, an independent, noted the divisiveness of the issue but suggested that for many residents, the facility could bring needed jobs without drastically changing the community.

As discussions continue, local stakeholders face the challenge of balancing economic needs with concerns over the social and political implications of hosting a large ICE detention center in the region.