SCAAP Awards

Update on the Payments for "Unknown" Alien Status Inmate Days

The Department of Justice (DOJ) will continue the reimbursements for the unknown category of SCAAP inmates for the FY 2015 SCAAP awards. SCAAP grantees are strongly encouraged to work collaboratively with DHS in the following programs in order to increase their inmate alien status verifications. Those programs include:

• 287(g) Program: The 287(g) program allows a state and local law enforcement entity to enter into a partnership with ICE in order to receive delegated authority for immigration enforcement within their jurisdictions. This allows the officials in the jurisdictions to match inmate records prior to the SCAAP application process. For more information, see the following web site: Delegation of Immigration Authority Section 287(g) Immigration and Nationality Act website.
• The Law Enforcement Support Center (LESC): LESC is a single national point of contact that provides timely customs information and immigration status and identity information and real-time assistance to local, state and federal law enforcement agencies on aliens suspected, arrested or convicted of criminal activity. For more information, see the LESC website or call 802-872-6000.
• Priority Enforcement Program (PEP): PEP begins at the state and local level when an individual is arrested and booked by a law enforcement officer for a criminal violation and his or her fingerprints are submitted to the FBI for criminal history and warrant checks. This same biometric data is also sent to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) so that ICE can determine whether the individual is a priority for removal, consistent with the DHS enforcement priorities described in Secretary Johnson's November 20, 2014 Secure Communities memorandum. Under PEP, ICE will seek the transfer of a removable individual when that individual has been convicted of an offense listed under the DHS civil immigration enforcement priorities, has intentionally participated in an organized criminal gang to further the illegal activity of the gang, or poses a danger to national security.

Update on the Discontinuance of Payments for “Unknown” Alien Status Inmate Days

The Department of Justice (DOJ) will postpone the elimination of reimbursements for the unknown category of SCAAP inmates for 1 year, which includes the payment of FY 2012 SCAAP awards. The delay of this change will provide a significant opportunity for local governments to work collaboratively with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to improve local processes for detainee identification, in anticipation of discontinuing payments for unknown inmates next year. SCAAP grantees are strongly encouraged to work collaboratively with DHS in the following programs in order to increase their inmate alien status verifications. Those programs include:

• Secure Communities Program: This program leverages an existing information sharing capability between DHS and DOJ to quickly and accurately identify aliens who are arrested for a crime and booked into local law enforcement custody. With this capability, the fingerprints of everyone arrested and booked are not only checked against Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) criminal history records, but they are also checked against DHS immigration records. If fingerprints match DHS records, the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) determines if immigration enforcement action is required, considering the immigration status of the alien, the severity of the crime and the alien's criminal history.
• 287(g) Program: The 287(g) program allows a state and local law enforcement entity to enter into a partnership with ICE in order to receive delegated authority for immigration enforcement within their jurisdictions. This allows the officials in the jurisdictions to match inmate records prior to the SCAAP application process.
• The Law Enforcement Support Center (LESC): LESC is a single national point of contact that provides timely customs information and immigration status and identity information and real-time assistance to local, state and federal law enforcement agencies on aliens suspected, arrested or convicted of criminal activity. For more information, see the LESC website or call 802-872-6000.

FY 2007-2012 SCAAP Use of Funds List:

• Salaries for corrections officers
• Overtime costs
• Corrections work force recruitment and retention
• Construction of corrections facilities
• Training/education for offenders
• Training for corrections officers related to offender population management
• Consultants involved with offender population
• Medical and mental health services
• Vehicle rental/purchase for transport of offenders
• Prison industries
• Pre-release/reentry programs
• Technology involving offender management/inter-agency information sharing
• Disaster preparedness continuity of operations for corrections facility