U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) plans to open a detention center at the long-dormant Rivers Correctional Institution in Winton, North Carolina, by year's end. Owned by GEO Group, a private prison operator, the facility will house approximately 1,400 beds, making it one of the largest on the East Coast. This move signals ICE's continued effort to increase detention capacity, even as it scales back warehouse acquisitions.

The new center addresses a "detention desert" in North Carolina and surrounding states, where detainees are often transferred long distances. Immigration advocates warn that the facility could significantly boost ICE's capacity to detain individuals across neighboring states, especially with North Carolina's recent laws mandating cooperation between local law enforcement and ICE.

This development has sparked mixed reactions in Hertford County, where the facility is located. Some residents see the detention center as an economic opportunity due to scarce jobs, while others express concerns about the impact on quality of life and the potential for increased immigration enforcement. The former Rivers Correctional Institution has a history of poor conditions, adding to the apprehension for some.