ICE Plans to Reopen Controversial Immigrant Detention Facility in North Carolina
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is set to reopen a for-profit prison in Winton, North Carolina, reported by the New York Times as one of the largest immigrant detention centers on the East Coast. Internal ICE documents reveal plans for a 1,400-bed facility at the former Rivers Correctional Facility, marking a significant collaboration with GEO Group, a prominent private prison operator.
Recently, GEO Group advertised a position for a facility maintenance manager at the now-vacant Rivers Correctional Facility, which has been closed for five years. The job posting, listed on a job site, was dated July 11, indicating preparations for the facility’s reopening may already be underway.
Prior to its closure in 2021, GEO Group managed Rivers as a “Criminal Alien Requirements” prison, housing non-citizens convicted of federal offenses. During its operational years from 2001 to 2021, the facility faced numerous health and safety complaints, with inmates reporting issues like understaffing, inadequate medical care, and systemic discrimination by staff.
A class-action lawsuit from 2007 revealed a troubling trend at Rivers, where inmates claimed they were routinely denied medical treatment, occasionally resulting in serious injuries and fatalities. The suit alleged, “The medical system at the Rivers facility is collapsing,” though GEO Group was dismissed from the case before these claims could be addressed.
GEO Group did not respond to inquiries regarding the facility’s reopening. An ICE spokesperson, when contacted, stated that the agency is working to expand its operational capacity across the United States; however, they emphasized that no new detention centers are currently opening. “It shouldn’t be news that ICE is actively working to make arrests and expand detention space in states across the country,” the spokesperson remarked.
Christie Glaunke, legal director for the ACLU of North Carolina, noted that the potential reopening of the facility has been under discussion for months. Reports from last August indicated that the federal government might reopen Rivers, leading to protests among community advocates and local residents. “Construction equipment and heavy machinery have suggested work was being done there,” Glaunke explained.
North Carolina Governor Josh Stein expressed strong opposition to the facility’s reopening on social media, underscoring that it is not managed by the state and that he has no influence over its operations. Stein pointed out ICE’s troubling history, including incidents of arresting and detaining American citizens without criminal backgrounds and the unfortunate deaths of detainees in ICE custody last year. “Like many other North Carolinians, I don’t want that in our state,” he asserted.
Despite some previous successes in thwarting ICE expansion efforts across the country, advocates argue that local opposition may be less effective in preventing the reopening of established facilities like Rivers. Andreina Marchi, defense manager for immigrant rights group Siembra NC, explained that much of the regulatory groundwork allowing the prison’s reopening was laid decades ago. However, she emphasized the importance of ensuring local officials and representatives will have access and oversight once the facility reopens.
The Hartford County Commission has not responded to requests for comment. In a previous statement, the county clarified that the Rivers Correctional Facility operates under a federal contract and that decisions regarding its operation do not fall under local governance. Marchi noted that while community engagement is crucial, advocates should also focus on preventing further expansions of ICE facilities statewide. “We must ensure that no new prisons or detention centers are established in North Carolina,” she urged.
