Dozens of people protested on Saturday, March 14, in Ahoskie, Hertford County, against the possible reopening of a facility operated by the private company GEO Group. detention center for immigrants.
The complex, in the city of Winton, formerly operated as a private federal prison and could now become one of three detention centers for immigrants that would open in North Carolina, according to documents obtained by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).
The protesters expressed concern about the simulator that the reopening could have on immigrant families, public services, and the future of this rural community.
“I’m here because I don’t want ICE in my community,” Joanna Rutter told Enlace Latino NC .
Rutter handed out informational leaflets to attendees criticizing GEO Group and warning about the potential effects of a detention center in a rural area.
“This is not the right kind of economic development,” he said. “Northeast North Carolina needs good businesses that bring decent jobs so our children can grow up and stay here.”
Agriculture and food processing are key sectors in northeastern North Carolina, where many immigrant workers They participate in agricultural work and in meat processing plants.
“There are many farmworkers in this region,” Rutter said. “My next-door neighbors are seasonal farmworkers. Many people are afraid to speak out.”
Related: How a ministry supports and serves farmworkers in eastern North Carolina
Private prison that could reopen as a detention center
The Rivers Correctional Institution, located at 145 Parker's Fishery Road, was the only privately run federal prison in the state until its closure in 2021.
At that time, Executive Order 14006 sought to phase out the use of private prisons, citing systemic failures in security and oversight.
The documents obtained by the ACLU They cite the possible reopening of this location and the opening of two other detention centers in Concord and Greensboro.
The facility housed approximately 1,450 people until its closure in January 2021 during the Biden administration, according to documents obtained by the ACLU.
The records were released in response to the demand filed by the ACLU and its affiliates in October 2025, after ICE failed to respond to the request under the FOIA Act.
Fear in everyday life
Some residents say that this fear is already affecting the daily lives of immigrant families in the area.
“I have a boyfriend, he’s Hispanic, and his parents always tell him Bring your passport and ID “with him,” Maia said, Enlace Latino NC “There is a lot of fear about what could happen.”
Maia said that at her workplace, which is operated by Latinos, some employees express fear when law enforcement officers enter the establishment.
“They are hardworking people who have done everything right in their community,” he said. “But when the police come in, people get nervous because they don’t know what might happen.”
Concern about local infrastructure
Some residents also expressed concern about the potential environmental impact and strain on public utilities. reopen the facility.
Carolyn Wiggins, a former nurse, said she is concerned that the local water and sewage systems could put pressure on local infrastructure.
“We wondered what would happen if they put 2,800 or even 3,500 people there,” Wiggins told Enlace Latino NC “The wastewater treatment system also serves the entire town of Winton.”
The facility has space for a maximum of 1,400 people, but other detention centers have reported cases of overcrowding.
Caroline Olin, organizer of the channel The Cultivator, expressed concern about overburdening health and safety resources.
“We have a very small rural hospital here. A detention center could overwhelm our hospital, as well as our ambulances, our officers, and other security services,” Olin told Enlace Latino NC .
Olin added that the protest reflects a change in a region where public demonstrations are uncommon.
“People don’t protest here,” Olin said. “We tend to stay quiet. There’s a lot of fear in this community.”
Among those present was Zinc Mabine, a 17-year-old student accompanied by two of her schoolmates, who said it was her first protest.
“At first I was very afraid to come,” Mabine told Enlace Latino NC “But we need our voices to be heard. No one else is going to do it for us.”
“This is happening in our community. Even if it’s a small step, it helps to break the silence,” she added.
You may be interested: The number of law enforcement agencies signing the most aggressive agreement against immigrants in North Carolina is growing.
Other community organizing actions
The issue of the detention center dominated public comments during a meeting of the Hertford County Board of Commissioners on February 16.
Eight people spoke during the public comment period: seven against reopening and one in favor.
The county commissioners issued a statement the following day. They indicated that their power is limited because immigration detention centers are run by the federal government and private companies.
“It’s private property and they can do whatever they want, but our elected officials should also speak out and take a stand,” Olin said.
The organizers of“Stop Detention Centers” They are also promoting different actions to get residents involved in the debate.
These include contacting local and state representatives, and signing petitions promoted by organizations like the ACLU y Triad Force, attend City Council or County Commissioners meetings, and participate in future demonstrations.
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