ICE to convert former Rivers Correctional Institution into 1,400‑bed detention center in North Carolina

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) plans to reopen the former Rivers Correctional Institution in Winton, North Carolina, as a 1,400‑bed immigration detention facility, targeting completion by the end of 2026. The prison, closed in 2021, is owned by the GEO Group, one of the largest private‑prison operators, and would become one of the largest detention centers on the East Coast.

Internal ICE documents cited by The New York Times detail the agreement with GEO Group to repurpose the site. The proposal has sparked opposition from state officials and activists; Governor Josh Stein publicly said he does not want the facility in the state, and protests have gathered at the North Carolina General Assembly. The ACLU of North Carolina has also highlighted the site, noting past reports of violence, sexual abuse, and inadequate medical care when the prison operated as a criminal‑alien requirement facility.

ICE officials have stated they have no new detention centers to announce, while GEO Group has not commented on the reopening. The development follows broader federal efforts to expand immigration detention capacity nationwide.