DOJ FY 2026 Bridging Immigration-related Deficits Experienced Nationwide (“BIDEN”) Program | O BJA 2026 172641

FAQs: DOJ FY 2026 Bridging Immigration-related Deficits Experienced Nationwide (BIDEN) Program

What is the DOJ FY 2026 BIDEN Program?

The DOJ FY 2026 Bridging Immigration-related Deficits Experienced Nationwide (BIDEN) Program is a Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) discretionary grant program funded through a cooperative agreement. Its purpose is to help state, local, and tribal governments address operational and capacity shortfalls tied to immigration-related law enforcement and criminal justice demands, especially where those demands intersect with serious crime, gangs, cartels, trafficking, and related violence.

Who administers the BIDEN Program?

The program is administered by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA).

What is the legal authority for this program?

The program is authorized by the BIDEN Reimbursement Fund created in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (Public Law 119-21) and codified at 34 U.S.C. 61101.

What is the central aim of the BIDEN Program?

The central aim is to help jurisdictions cover operational and capacity shortfalls tied to immigration-related law enforcement and criminal justice demands, particularly those connected to serious crime, gangs, cartels, trafficking, and violence, and to reinforce participation in Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) activities and other DOJ efforts focused on gangs, cartels, and violent crime.

Is this funding a grant or something else?

It is described as a BJA discretionary grant program funded through a cooperative agreement.

What kinds of activities are BIDEN funds intended to support?

The statute describes seven allowable purpose areas that shape what BIDEN funds are meant to support, including locating and apprehending certain individuals, investigative information collection and analysis, investigations and prosecutions, court operations supporting prosecution, temporary detention, transportation related to apprehension/detention/prosecution, and logistics/support functions (including vehicle maintenance) that strengthen these capabilities.

What are the seven allowable purpose areas under the statute?

1. Locating and apprehending aliens who have committed a crime under federal, state, or local law and who are also unlawfully present in the United States (referred to in the notice as "criminal illegal aliens").
2. Collecting and analyzing investigative law enforcement information inside the United States to counter gang or other criminal activity.
3. Investigating and prosecuting crimes committed by aliens in the United States, as well as drug and human trafficking crimes occurring within the United States.
4. Court operations that support prosecution of those crimes.
5. Temporary criminal detention of aliens.
6. Transportation of the individuals described above to support apprehension, detention, and prosecution activities.
7. Vehicle maintenance, logistics, transportation, and other state-provided law enforcement support functions that strengthen the ability of agencies to locate and apprehend individuals who have committed crimes and are also unlawfully present.

Does the program require jurisdictions to act outside their existing authority?

No. The description indicates funding is intended to support activities tied to the purpose areas as long as the applicant is acting under its existing legal authority.

How is the NOFO organized?

The NOFO is organized into three main funding categories: Category 1 (Hiring), Category 2 (Technology and Equipment), and Category 3 (Construction of Temporary Detention Facilities for Criminal Illegal Aliens).

What does Category 1 (Hiring) fund?

Category 1 supports staffing needs, including hiring or rehiring full-time sworn career law enforcement officers/deputies and full-time civilian or other non-sworn personnel, where those roles support the criminal justice continuum connected to the statutory purpose areas.

Can Category 1 funds be used to hire sworn officers or deputies?

Yes. Category 1 allows funding to hire or rehire full-time sworn career law enforcement officers/deputies.

Can Category 1 funds be used to hire civilian or non-sworn staff?

Yes. Category 1 allows hiring or rehiring full-time civilian or other non-sworn personnel, including those critical to functions such as forensics, investigations, analysis, prosecution/legal support, corrections/detention/custody, transportation, security, operations, and logistics when aligned to the statutory purposes.

Can Category 1 funds be used to fill existing vacancies?

Yes. Hiring can include filling officer/deputy vacancies that are no longer funded in an agency budget.

When is rehiring eligible under Category 1?

Rehiring is eligible in two situations: (1) bringing back personnel laid off due to state/local/Bureau of Indian Affairs budget reductions, as long as they are rehired on or after the official award start date; or (2) rehiring personnel scheduled for future layoffs, with the requirement that the recipient continues to fund the positions locally until the scheduled layoff date.

How long can salary support last under Category 1?

Salary support is available for up to three years of eligible positions.

How long do recipients have to spend the salary funds?

The NOFO indicates the salary dollars must be spent within a five-year period of performance, recognizing that recruiting and hiring timelines can delay when salary costs are incurred.

Are there roles that Category 1 explicitly will not fund?

Yes. The NOFO specifically states that funds may not be used for co-responders, interpreters, or translators.

What does Category 2 (Technology and Equipment) fund?

Category 2 funds the purchase and support of equipment and advanced technology intended to close resource gaps and strengthen capacity for criminal justice operations aligned with the seven statutory purpose areas.

Can Category 2 cover ongoing costs like subscriptions and maintenance?

Yes. Category 2 can include multi-year implementation costs, ongoing subscription fees, training, and maintenance, indicating support for operational deployments rather than only one-time purchases.

Are there special compliance requirements for certain equipment purchases?

Yes. The NOFO flags additional compliance steps for certain items. If an applicant seeks funding for unmanned aerial systems (UAS), body-worn cameras, body armor, and/or NIBIN machines, the award will require equipment-specific certifications and additional documentation as a condition of funding.

What does Category 3 (Construction of Temporary Detention Facilities for Criminal Illegal Aliens) fund?

Category 3 supports major construction projects related to detention infrastructure, including building temporary detention facilities to house individuals awaiting prosecution, immigration proceedings, or transfer to federal custody.

Can Category 3 fund renovation or expansion of existing detention facilities?

Yes. Category 3 also supports substantial renovation, expansion, or modernization of existing facilities, such as adding housing units or making targeted improvements needed to meet current detention standards and materially increase capacity and operational functionality for temporary detention tied to the program's purposes.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligible applicants include state governments, state agencies, counties, cities or townships, special district governments, federally recognized tribal governments, and other tribal organizations, as well as other state agencies with law enforcement responsibilities and units of local government.

What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?

The opportunity is listed under CFDA 16.076.

What is the opportunity number?

The opportunity number is O-BJA-2026-172641.

When is the application due?

The original application closing date listed in the provided information is July 15, 2026.

Is the maximum award amount (award ceiling) specified?

The award ceiling is listed as 0 in the provided source data, which typically indicates the ceiling is not specified in that field rather than meaning no funding is available.

How many awards does DOJ expect to make?

The number of expected awards is not provided in the excerpt.

Does the program emphasize coordination with any specific task forces or initiatives?

Yes. The program is explicitly oriented toward supporting significant participation in Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) activities and other DOJ efforts focused on gangs, cartels, and violent crime.

What kinds of criminal justice operations does the program prioritize?

Based on the purpose areas and program description, priorities include apprehension, investigative information collection and analysis, investigation and prosecution, court operations, detention, transportation, and logistics/support functions connected to serious criminal activity involving unlawfully present noncitizens.