Governor Josh Stein is forcefully pushing back against federal plans to build a massive immigration detention facility in Eastern North Carolina.
Internal federal documents reveal that Immigration and Customs Enforcement plans to turn the shuttered Rivers Correctional Institution in Winton into a 1,400-bed detention center. The move would create one of the largest ICE hubs on the East Coast, sparking immediate protests from civil rights advocates.
In a sharp public response, Governor Stein stated that while violent criminals here illegally should be deported, ICE has a track record of abuse and hasn't earned public trust. Because the facility is privately owned by the GEO Group, federal officials do not need state approval to open it. Local residents remain split, with some protesting the center and others welcoming the promise of 300 rural jobs.
Federal officials have not yet announced an official opening date for the facility.
