U.S. Department of Justice launches $25M ANGEL grant program

The U.S. Department of Justice has launched the Assisting Neighborhoods and Governments with Enforcement of Laws (ANGEL) Grant Program, a $25 million initiative designed to support local law enforcement in immigration enforcement operations. The program offers grants of up to $500,000 per agency to assist with tasks such as locating and apprehending undocumented individuals who have committed crimes, gathering gang intelligence, and investigating human and drug trafficking.

Associate Attorney General Stanley E. Woodward, Jr. stated the funding aims to counter sanctuary policies that the administration claims have impacted public safety. The grants can be used for various operational needs, including courtroom costs, detention, prisoner transportation, and intelligence work.

The program has faced criticism from state officials. The Washington State Attorney General’s Office disputed the DOJ’s characterization of sanctuary policies, calling the department’s claims regarding the impact on murder and trafficking investigations ‘callous and false.’