The program is administered by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), which is part of the Department of Justice's (DOJ) Office of Justice Programs (OJP). The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) aids BJA in administering the program. SCAAP is designed to reimburse states and localities for correctional officers' salary costs incurred for incarcerating "undocumented criminal aliens." Any state or locality that incurred costs for incarcerating "undocumented criminal aliens" is eligible to apply for SCAAP funding. Recent Legislation

In 2005, SCAAP was reauthorized through FY2011, and a provision was added that required SCAAP reimbursement funds be used for correctional purposes only. Legislation had been introduced in previous Congresses that would have modified the program to include covering costs for indigent defense, translators, criminal aliens charged with two misdemeanors or a felony, and limited reimbursement to border states and states with large numbers of unauthorized aliens. In the 111 th Congress, legislation has been introduced to reauthorize the program until FY2014 ( H.R. The Administration's FY2010 budget request did not include funding for SCAAP; however, funding for the program was included in the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2010 ( H.R. 2847 ). H.R. 2847 as passed by the House on June 18, 2009, would appropriate $300 million for SCAAP, and the Senate reported version would appropriate $228 million for the program.
The State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP) is a formula grant program that provides financial assistance to states and localities for correctional officer salary costs incurred for incarcerating "undocumented criminal aliens." Currently, SCAAP funds do not cover all of the costs for incarcerating immigrants or foreign nationals. The program is administered by the Office of Justice Programs' Bureau of Justice Assistance, located in the U.S. Department of Justice, in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Between FY1995 and FY2009, a total of more than $5 billion has been distributed to states in SCAAP funding.
Recent changes to SCAAP include reauthorization through FY2011 and the requirement that SCAAP reimbursements be used for correctional purposes only. Legislation introduced in the 111th Congress includes provisions that would extend the program through FY2014 and authorize appropriations at $1 billion annually for FY2011-FY2014 (H.R. 2282); and would change SCAAP eligibility guidelines to reimburse states not only for criminal aliens convicted of two misdemeanors or a felony, but also for those charged with these crimes as well (S. 168). Funding for the program has also been included in the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2010 (H.R. 2847). H.R. 2847 as passed by the House on June 18, 2009, would appropriate $300 million for SCAAP, and the Senate reported version would appropriate $228 million for the program.
This report will be updated as warranted by legislative, funding, or policy developments.