diff --git a/config/settings/base.py b/config/settings/base.py
index 93d80696f75266a395c04feca1066088eaf4505d..ed24bd04ea1a254d5402a9b6060af30e3f8b4f4e 100644
--- a/config/settings/base.py
+++ b/config/settings/base.py
@@ -104,6 +104,7 @@ LVC_GROUP = 'Communities:LSCVirgoLIGOGroupMembers'
 LVEM_GROUP = 'gw-astronomy:LV-EM'
 LVEM_OBSERVERS_GROUP = 'gw-astronomy:LV-EM:Observers'
 PUBLIC_GROUP = 'public_users'
+PRIORITY_USERS_GROUP = 'priority_users'
 
 # Group names
 # Executives group name
diff --git a/gracedb/migrations/auth/0019_create_priority_users_group.py b/gracedb/migrations/auth/0019_create_priority_users_group.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..dec4392390746d655a6001e988f828f3a693bf22
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gracedb/migrations/auth/0019_create_priority_users_group.py
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+# Generated by Django 1.11.18 on 2018-12-05 02:41
+from __future__ import unicode_literals
+
+from django.db import migrations
+
+GROUP_NAME = 'priority_users'
+
+def create_group(apps, schema_editor):
+    Group = apps.get_model('auth', 'Group')
+    Group.objects.create(name=GROUP_NAME)
+
+
+def delete_group(apps, schema_editor):
+    Group = apps.get_model('auth', 'Group')
+    g = Group.objects.get(name=GROUP_NAME)
+    g.delete()
+
+
+class Migration(migrations.Migration):
+
+    dependencies = [
+        ('auth', '0018_update_emfollow_groups'),
+    ]
+
+    operations = [
+        migrations.RunPython(create_group, delete_group),
+    ]
diff --git a/gracedb/migrations/auth/0020_populate_priority_users_group.py b/gracedb/migrations/auth/0020_populate_priority_users_group.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..490c9a162d8ddd6f587d098e712ef56e73bd2b98
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gracedb/migrations/auth/0020_populate_priority_users_group.py
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+# Generated by Django 1.11.18 on 2018-12-05 02:47
+from __future__ import unicode_literals
+
+from django.db import migrations
+
+GROUP_NAME = 'priority_users'
+PRIORITY_USERS = [
+    'detchar',
+    'emfollow',
+    'gstlal-spiir',
+    'gstlalcbc',
+    'MbtaAlert',
+    'oLIB',
+    'pycbclive',
+    'virgo_detchar',
+    'waveburst', # cWB
+]
+
+
+def add_users(apps, schema_editor):
+    Group = apps.get_model('auth', 'Group')
+    User = apps.get_model('auth', 'User')
+
+    # Get group
+    pg = Group.objects.get(name=GROUP_NAME)
+
+    # Get users
+    users = User.objects.filter(username__in=PRIORITY_USERS)
+
+    # Add users
+    pg.user_set.add(*users)
+
+
+def remove_users(apps, schema_editor):
+    Group = apps.get_model('auth', 'Group')
+    User = apps.get_model('auth', 'User')
+
+    # Get group
+    pg = Group.objects.get(name=GROUP_NAME)
+
+    # Get users
+    users = User.objects.filter(username__in=PRIORITY_USERS)
+
+    # Remove users
+    pg.user_set.remove(*users)
+
+
+class Migration(migrations.Migration):
+
+    dependencies = [
+        ('auth', '0019_create_priority_users_group'),
+    ]
+
+    operations = [
+        migrations.RunPython(add_users, remove_users),
+    ]