On September 5, 2025, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) set the stage for a historic policy shift that could change the way state and local prisons across the United States battle a persistent and dangerous problem: contraband cellphones. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, flanked by a host of top state officials in Little Rock, Arkansas, announced that the commission will vote on September 30 on a proposal to empower prisons and jails to jam unauthorized cellphones—a move Congress has repeatedly declined to authorize, despite years of pressure from law enforcement and corrections leaders.
Speaking after a tour of the Varner Prison Unit, Carr was blunt about the stakes. "Contraband cell phones are the root of so many evils taking place, not just in prisons, but across the country, for the crimes that people are phoning in and enabling," he said, according to a report by KATV. The proposal, Carr explained, would sidestep federal law by declaring that calls from contraband cellphones are not "authorized communications" under 47 U.S.C. § 333, the statute that currently bars jamming. This legal reinterpretation would clear the path for state and local facilities to deploy targeted jamming technology without running afoul of federal regulations.
"Once contraband cell phone use is not an ‘authorized communication,' then the federal law is no longer a prohibition to jamming it, and that's well within the FCC authority to give that reading to federal law," Carr told reporters, as cited by 41NBC/WMGT. He emphasized that the measure would be voluntary, not a federal mandate, and that implementation would be up to individual states and localities.
The urgency of the problem was underscored by Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin, who called the FCC's move "an obvious problem with an obvious solution." Griffin, along with Senator Tom Cotton and Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, joined Carr in touring the Varner Unit, where staff displayed a collection of confiscated cellphones and even a drone used to smuggle devices into the facility. "Earlier today, Senator Tom Cotton, Chairman Brendan Carr, and I toured the Varner Unit of the Arkansas Department of Corrections to see firsthand how cellphone jamming in prisons would benefit Arkansas, and what we saw was alarming," Griffin said, according to KATV. "Varner staff showed us the collection of contraband cellphones that have been confiscated."
The scale of the issue is staggering. According to the FCC, thousands of contraband cellphones have infiltrated prisons nationwide, enabling inmates to orchestrate gang activity, assaults, and even murder from behind bars. A 2024 study cited by WACH found that prison authorities recovered more than 25,000 cell phones in a single year. In Georgia alone, corrections officers seized more than 15,500 cellphones and over 150 drones last year, according to Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr. He cited chilling examples of gang leaders using smuggled phones to order killings, including the death of an 88-year-old veteran and two 13-year-old boys. "Prisoners with contraband cell phones are ordering murders, and this has to stop now," Chris Carr stated in a release.
Officials argue that cellphones are now the most coveted contraband inside prisons—more than weapons or drugs—because they allow inmates to continue exerting criminal control outside the prison walls. "More than weapons. More than drugs," Senator Tom Cotton said, according to KATV. "Because it enables them to exert criminal control outside of the prison." Governor Sanders added, "Public safety is government’s first priority, and the evidence clearly shows that contraband cell phones pose a direct threat to Arkansans’ security."
South Carolina officials have also thrown their support behind the FCC plan. Attorney General Alan Wilson called Chairman Carr’s support for targeted jamming "a critical step forward," expressing hope that the full commission would back the proposal. South Carolina Department of Corrections Director Joel Anderson echoed this sentiment, saying, "South Carolina is ready to deploy this life-saving technology and make the state safe from criminals who are behind bars physically but can reach out and do harm with illegal contraband cellphones."
The upcoming FCC vote marks a significant moment in a debate that has simmered for years. Senator Cotton has repeatedly introduced the Cellphone Jamming Reform Act in Congress, a legislative effort to give prisons explicit authority to jam contraband phones. But despite bipartisan concern over the issue, the bills have failed to clear Congress. Carr’s proposal would, for the first time, use the FCC’s regulatory authority to accomplish what lawmakers have not.
National law enforcement organizations are on board. Jonathan Thompson, executive director of the National Sheriffs’ Association, joined Carr at the Arkansas event to emphasize law enforcement’s support for the initiative. The proposal also aligns with the broader "law and order" agenda championed by former President Donald Trump. Carr himself framed the crackdown in those terms, stating, "President Trump is restoring law and order. He is putting the safety of law-abiding Americans first. That is why I am pleased to announce that the FCC will vote, for the first time ever, on allowing prisons to jam contraband cellphones."
Still, the proposal is not without its caveats. Carr acknowledged that jamming may not be the right fit for every facility, but insisted there are "lots and lots of facilities around this country where this type of solution will and can make a significant difference." He also noted that, if the measure is approved on September 30, several steps remain before implementation—including a public comment period and technical safeguards to ensure jamming technology does not interfere with legitimate wireless networks nearby. The FCC will seek public input on these safeguards, aiming to balance security with the rights of those outside prison walls.
Implementation is expected to begin sometime in 2026, after the necessary regulatory processes and technical preparations are completed. Ultimately, it will be up to state and local governments to weigh the costs and logistics of deploying jamming devices in their correctional facilities.
As the September 30 vote approaches, supporters are urging Congress to finally pass the Cellphone Jamming Reform Act of 2025, arguing that a legislative solution would provide additional clarity and support for state efforts. But for now, the FCC’s proposal represents the most significant step yet toward shutting down the illicit communications networks that have flourished behind prison walls—and, officials hope, making communities on the outside a little safer.
