DOJ launches $3 billion BIDEN grant program for cities to offset immigration costs
The Justice Department announced a $3 billion grant initiative, called BIDEN, to help municipalities recover expenses linked to recent immigration policies.
The Justice Department introduced the Bridging Immigration-related Deficits Experienced Nationwide (BIDEN) grant, allocating $3 billion through September 2028 to assist cities in recouping costs tied to federal immigration actions. Eligible municipalities can direct the money toward hiring additional officers, modernizing equipment, or constructing short-term detention sites, provided they commit to full participation in the ICE 287(g) program that links local police with federal immigration enforcement.
Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward emphasized the goal of averting repeat border emergencies. The program’s description notes that some grant dollars may be reimbursed to the federal government for costs incurred during immigration-related law-enforcement activities. To date, 181 cities have applied for the funding, and the National Sheriffs’ Association praised the opportunity.
Why it matters
The grants tie local funding to cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, influencing how cities handle immigration-related costs and policing.
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