Plans to reopen Rivers Correctional Institution announced
Plans to reopen the former Rivers Correctional Institution in Hertford County have been confirmed by the private prison operator The GEO Group, Inc., which says it has signed a five‑year contract with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to operate the site as a federal immigration processing centre.
The company says the facility — which closed in 2022 when the federal government moved away from privately run prisons — will be converted into a detention centre with 1,320 beds and is expected to generate about $80 million in annual revenue in its first full year of operation. Reports suggest the reopened Rivers facility would be among the largest ICE detention centres on the US East Coast.
- Facility: Rivers Correctional Institution (owned by GEO Group)
- Capacity: 1,320 beds
- Contract: Five years with ICE
- Projected first‑year revenue: $80 million
- Status: Previously closed in 2022; GEO Group plans to reopen this autumn
Local opposition has already surfaced. In March, about 50 people protested in Ahoskie against reopening the site as an immigration detention centre. The announcement has also prompted objections from state leaders. North Carolina Governor Josh Stein posted on social media that he did not approve the transaction and voiced clear opposition.
“The planned ICE detention centre in Winton is not state‑owned, and I did not approve this transaction. Like many other North Carolinians, I do not want it in our state. ICE and Border Patrol have not earned our trust.”
Context and immediate consequences for the local area
The rivers site was originally built as a privately run federal prison and was closed in 2022 following federal policy changes. Its proposed conversion back into a detention facility raises practical and political questions for Hertford County residents and nearby communities.
Practical issues likely to be of concern include the pace of refurbishment and staffing, transport and security arrangements, and any contracts for services and supplies that could affect local businesses. The company’s projected revenue figure underlines the scale of the operation but does not, in itself, detail how many local jobs will be created or whether workers will be drawn from the immediate area or from a wider labour market.
What happens next
GEO Group has indicated the site is expected to reopen this autumn. With a five‑year ICE contract now disclosed, attention will turn to how state and federal authorities, local councils and community groups respond. Opponents have already mobilised; residents and campaigners seeking to shape the future of the facility will be watching for planning, licensing or contractual paperwork that might be open to public scrutiny or challenge.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Bed capacity | 1,320 |
| Contract length | Five years |
| Projected revenue (first full year) | $80 million |
| Previous closure | Closed in 2022 |
For Hertford County residents, the reopening of Rivers represents a major change to a familiar local landmark and will almost certainly feature in council discussions, campaigning and regional reporting in the coming weeks. Community groups and elected officials have signalled both practical worries and wider opposition; how those voices are heard within the process of reopening will determine the near‑term outcome for the town of Winton and surrounding areas.
