Deal confirmed to reopen former prison as immigration detention centre
The GEO Group has announced an agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to reopen the former Rivers Correctional Institution in Hertford County as an immigration detention centre, a move that has prompted immediate anxiety among local residents and concern from the state governor.
The company says the five-year contract will convert the shuttered facility into a centre with more than 1,300 beds. The prison closed in 2022 after the Biden Administration moved away from privately run federal prisons. GEO Group, which owns the site, had faced protests earlier this year when the possibility of such a use was first reported.
- Facility size: over 1,300 beds
- Contract length: five years
- Previous status: closed in 2022 following federal policy changes
Residents who demonstrated against plans in March have expressed that the confirmation of the contract validates their fears. Allison Dye, who joined earlier protests, told local television she was anxious about the impact on her family and neighbours.
“I feel stressed out about it. I’m married to an immigrant... I’m obviously worried about family members and people close to me, but I’m also worried about my neighbours.”
Others in the county made similar points about the local workforce and daily life. One resident said the area is a “melting pot” where people of many nationalities work on farms and in local businesses, and argued that establishing a major detention centre would not sit right with the community.
Political and community consequences
Governor Josh Stein publicly criticised the decision, sharing on social media that he did not want the facility in the state. In his statement he made clear the site is privately owned and that the state did not approve the transaction. The governor’s intervention adds a statewide political dimension to what began as a local controversy.
The conversion of Rivers Correctional Institution — originally constructed as a privately operated federal prison — into one of the largest immigration detention facilities on the East Coast would mark a substantial change in the county’s role within federal immigration enforcement. National reporting has suggested the site could rank among the region’s biggest ICE detention centres.
Local activists have argued that the presence of such a facility could affect community cohesion, labour relations in the agricultural sector and the general sense of safety among immigrant families. Opponents have staged demonstrations and urged continued vocal opposition now the contract has been signed.
What is known about the site and contract
The following details are those provided by GEO Group and public reporting:
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Owner | GEO Group (private company) |
| Planned use | ICE immigration detention centre |
| Capacity | More than 1,300 beds |
| Contract length | Five years |
| Previous status | Closed in 2022 after a move away from privately operated federal prisons |
At present, there is no public indication of the precise timetable for reopening or how the centre will be staffed and operated day-to-day. Those details — which will speak directly to local concerns about safety, employment and community impact — have not been released in full by either GEO Group or ICE.
For residents of Hertford County, the announcement closes a chapter of uncertainty and opens another of debate and mobilisation. Those who opposed the proposal say they will not remain silent, while state-level officials have said they do not back the plan. The coming weeks are likely to see further statements from the company, the county and the state as the implications of the contract are examined.
Whatever unfolds, the agreement marks a significant federal presence in a rural corner of North Carolina that had, until recent years, been free of a major immigration detention facility.
