Dozens of people protested Saturday, March 14, in Ahoskie, Hertford County, against the possible reopening of a facility operated by the private company GEO Group as an immigration detention center.
The complex, located in the town of Winton, previously operated as a private federal prison and could now become one of three immigration detention centers expected to open in North Carolina, according to documents obtained by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).
Demonstrators expressed concern about the impact 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 flyers 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,” she said. “Northeastern North Carolina needs good companies that bring quality 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 are employed in farm work and meat processing plants.
“There are many farmworkers in this region,” Rutter said. “My neighbors next door are seasonal farmworkers. Many people are afraid to speak out.”
Private prison that could reopen as a detention center
Rivers Correctional Institution, located at 145 Parker’s Fishery Road, was the only private federal prison in the state until it closed in 2021.
At the time, Executive Order 14006 sought to phase out the use of private prisons, citing systemic failures in safety and oversight.
Documents obtained by the ACLU mention the possible reopening of this site and the opening of two additional 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 ACLU.
The records were released in response to a lawsuit filed by the ACLU and its affiliates in October 2025 after ICE failed to respond to a request under the FOIA.
Fear in everyday life
Some residents say that fear is already affecting the daily lives of immigrant families in the area.
“My boyfriend is Hispanic, and his parents always tell him to carry his passport and ID with him,” Maia told 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,” she said. “But when police come in, people get nervous because they don’t know what could happen.”
Concerns about local infrastructure
Some residents also expressed concern about the potential environmental impact and strain on public services if the facility reopens.
Carolyn Wiggins, a former nurse, said she is concerned that the site’s water and wastewater systems could put pressure on local infrastructure.
“We wonder what would happen if they placed 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 capacity for a maximum of 1,400 people, but overcrowding has been reported at other detention centers.
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 safety services,” Olin told Enlace Latino NC.
Olin added that the protest reflects a shift in a region where public demonstrations are uncommon.
“People don’t protest here,” Olin said. “We tend to stay quiet. There is a lot of fear in this community.”
Among those in attendance was Zinc Mabine, a 17-year-old student accompanied by two classmates, who said it was her first protest.
“At first I was very scared 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 break the silence,” she added.
Other community organizing efforts
The issue of the detention center dominated public comments during a Hertford County Board of Commissioners meeting on Feb. 16.
Eight people spoke during the public comment period: seven against the reopening and one in favor.
County commissioners issued a statement the following day, noting that their authority is limited because immigration detention centers fall under federal government and private companies.
“It is private property and they can do what they want, but our elected officials should also speak out and take a position,” Olin said.
Organizers with “Stop Detention Centers” are also promoting various actions for residents to get involved in the debate.
These include contacting local and state representatives, signing petitions led by organizations such as the ACLU and Fuerza Triad, attending City Council or county commissioners meetings, and participating in future demonstrations.
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