BJA FY26 State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP)
Provides payments to eligible states and local governments for certain costs of incarcerating undocumented criminal aliens from July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025.
Funder: Bureau of Justice Assistance
Due Dates: December 15, 2026 (Grants.gov) | December 22, 2026 (JustGrants)
Funding Amounts: Award ceiling: $59,000,000; award floor: $0; no matching requirement
Summary: Formula payments to eligible state and local governments for certain incarceration costs incurred during July 1, 2024–June 30, 2025.
Key Information: Applicants must have incurred qualifying costs for incarceration of “undocumented criminal aliens” during the reporting period.
Description
The State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP) is a statutorily required formula program administered by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP). This FY 2026 opportunity provides payments to eligible states and units of local government that incurred certain costs for incarceration of “undocumented criminal aliens” during the July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025, reporting period.
The opportunity supports OJP’s work to advance the Department of Justice’s mission to uphold the rule of law, keep the country safe, and protect civil rights. Its specific focus is payments tied to qualifying incarceration costs incurred by government applicants.
