US Justice Department releases $1 billion public‑safety grants, ties funding to immigration enforcement

The U.S. Department of Justice announced a new round of public‑safety grants totaling nearly $1 billion. About $700 million is provided through the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program for hiring officers, school safety, mental‑health services and other initiatives, while a newly created Model Cities Initiative will award roughly $300 million to two to four midsize cities for additional policing resources and technology.

Applications are due in late July and early August 2026, and the DOJ stated that agencies that do not cooperate with federal immigration enforcement may be deprioritized or ineligible for funding, effectively linking the grants to immigration‑law collaboration.