NIJ FY 2026 Research and Evaluation on Justice System Responses to Illegal Immigration
Open Posted
- Opportunity number
- O-NIJ-2026-172800
- Agency
-
National Institute of Justice
Office of Justice Programs, Department of Justice
- Applications due
- Award size
- Up to $3,000,000
Opportunity facts
- Assistance listings
- Funding instrument
- Grant
- Category
-
- Science and Technology and other Research and Development
- Eligible applicants
-
- County Governments
- City/Township Governments
- Higher Education Inst. (Public)
- State Governments
- Tribal Organizations (Not Federally Recognized)
- Higher Education Inst. (Private)
- For Profit Organizations
- Non-501(c)(3) Nonprofits
- 501(c)(3) Nonprofits
- Tribal Governments (Federally Recognized)
- Special District Governments
- Other
- Small Businesses
- Points of contact
-
- OJP Response Center ojp.responsecenter@usdoj.gov (800) 851-3420
- Full announcement
Opportunity details come from Grants.gov. Updated .
About this opportunity
The National Institute of Justice is soliciting applications for research and evaluation examining justice system responses to illegal immigration, with applications due November 16, 2026 and a total of $3 million in anticipated funding available. Eligible applicants include state governments, county and local governments, tribal governments (both federally and non-federally recognized), public and private institutions of higher education, 501(c)(3) nonprofits, non-501(c)(3) nonprofits, for-profit organizations including small businesses, special district governments, and other units of local government.
This opportunity funds rigorous, applied research and evaluations addressing how adult criminal justice systems—courts, law enforcement, jails, prisons, and community supervision—at state, local, and tribal levels address illegal immigration and crimes committed by aliens unlawfully present in the United States. Research may examine location and apprehension, court operations, transportation and detention, investigation of fraud and other crimes committed by illegal aliens, criminal profiling, counter gang and criminal activity including drug and human trafficking operations, and cooperation models between federal, state, local, and tribal justice systems. Both primary data collection and secondary data analysis are acceptable methodologies. Evaluation research proposals must include cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness analyses.
Applicants must submit the SF-424 form in Grants.gov by November 16, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. ET and the complete application in JustGrants by November 23, 2026 at 8:59 p.m. ET. Awards are anticipated by January 1, 2027 with up to 48-month performance periods. The proposal narrative is limited to 30 pages and scored on statement of problem (5%), project design and implementation (40%), capabilities and competencies (15%), potential impact (25%), and budget (15%). Recipients must deliver scholarly products, research dissemination products for practitioners and policymakers, and archived datasets. Applications must include biographical sketches and current/pending support forms for all key personnel.
CFDA: 16.560
Synopsis
This is a notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) for the NIJ FY 2026 Research and Evaluation on Justice System Responses to Illegal Immigration. This opportunity supports proposals for rigorous, applied research and evaluations examining the adult criminal justice system (courts, law enforcement, jails, prisons, and community supervision) challenges and responses to illegal immigration and crimes committed by aliens while in the U.S. illegally at the state, local, and tribal levels. This includes, but is not limited to, location and apprehension, court operations, transportation and detention, investigating fraud and other crimes committed by illegal aliens, including creating an accurate profile of their rates of criminal activity, counter gang and criminal activity including drug and human trafficking operations. Criminal justice agencies often develop innovative solutions to local challenges that may provide insight to other jurisdictions. Applicants may propose studies examining single or multiple states and jurisdictions and models of cooperation between federal, state, local and tribal justice systems and other stakeholders. The goal of this NOFO is to identify innovative local strategies, evaluate their effectiveness, and inform practical, data-driven solutions that inform and strengthen the strategies that state, local, and tribal justice systems use to address illegal immigration.
Eligibility
Other Units of Local Government: For the purposes of this notice of funding opportunity, other units of local government include towns, boroughs, parishes, villages, or other general purpose political subdivisions of a state.
Files
| File | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| PKG00294357.pdf |
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