BJA FY25 State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP)

The BJA FY25 State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP) is a federal funding opportunity administered by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Assistance. This program is a statutorily required initiative designed to reimburse state and local governments for certain costs incurred from the incarceration of undocumented criminal aliens. As outlined in the notice of funding opportunity, the program reflects federal priorities to support public safety systems and offset the financial burden placed on correctional facilities due to immigration-related detention responsibilities. The primary purpose of SCAAP is to provide financial payments to eligible jurisdictions that have incurred correctional costs associated with incarcerating undocumented individuals who meet specific legal and eligibility criteria. These individuals must have been convicted of at least one felony or two misdemeanors and incarcerated for a minimum of four consecutive days during the reporting period from July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2024. The program ensures that jurisdictions are partially compensated for the fiscal impact of housing these individuals within their correctional systems. Funding under this program is distributed based on a formula that incorporates multiple data inputs. Applicants are required to submit detailed records on eligible inmates, including identifying information, incarceration dates, and country of origin. This data is reviewed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to verify immigration status. Payments are then calculated using a combination of verified inmate data, total inmate days, and correctional officer salary expenditures to determine average daily incarceration costs and total eligible reimbursement amounts. Allowable uses of funds are strictly limited to correctional purposes. These include costs associated with operating correctional facilities, such as salaries and wages for correctional staff, facility maintenance, utilities, and contracted detention services. The program explicitly prohibits the use of funds for activities that violate federal immigration law, civil rights laws, or that support legal services for undocumented individuals except in narrowly defined circumstances. Recipients must maintain detailed records for at least three years to demonstrate compliance with funding restrictions and are subject to federal review and audit. The total funding available for this opportunity is $199,129,251, with approximately 500 awards anticipated. Individual award amounts vary significantly depending on the applicant’s reported costs and eligible inmate data, with an anticipated award ceiling of up to $59,000,000. The period of performance is 12 months, and awards are issued as grants. Unlike competitive discretionary programs, SCAAP operates as a formula-based reimbursement program, meaning that funding is distributed proportionally based on calculated eligible costs rather than scored proposals. Eligibility for this program is limited to government entities, specifically state governments and units of local government such as counties, cities, and townships. Applicants must apply independently and cannot submit joint applications. Each applicant must designate a submitting government official with legal authority to certify the accuracy of all data submitted. The application process involves a two-step submission through Grants.gov and JustGrants, including submission of the SF-424 form and a full application with required inmate and correctional cost data. The application timeline includes a Grants.gov submission deadline of June 23, 2026, followed by a JustGrants deadline of June 30, 2026. Applications must be submitted electronically, and late submissions are generally not accepted unless technical issues are documented. The SCAAP program represents a significant federal investment in supporting correctional systems nationwide by offsetting costs associated with undocumented criminal populations while maintaining strict compliance, reporting, and verification requirements.