FCC to Vote on Cell Phone Jamming in Prisons
On Friday, FCC President Brendan Kerr, along with Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) and Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R-AR), announced plans for a vote later this month. This proposal aims to enable prisons to disrupt the smuggling of mobile phones.
Following a visit to Arkansas’ Bernard Supermax Prison that morning, Kerr, accompanied by state officials including Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin, revealed that the FCC would be relocating in September to address cell phone activities in prisons. The initiative has gained traction as prisons face challenges from call-in hits and gang-related activities that have been facilitated by numerous smuggled mobile phones.
Kerr expressed that this proposal aligns with President Trump’s agenda to reinforce law and order.
President Trump is committed to restoring law and order, prioritizing the safety of law-abiding citizens. We are pleased to announce that the FCC will vote on allowing prisons to jam smuggled mobile phones for the first time. Thousands of these phones have been smuggled in, with dangerous criminals using them for various illicit activities. The FCC has previously approved various measures, but jamming has not been an option until now. This is a necessary step for empowering law enforcement to implement further solutions. We appreciate the collaborative support from state leaders in Arkansas as we address this critical public safety threat.
Despite ongoing efforts, a 2024 survey indicated that over 25,000 mobile phones were confiscated in prisons over just one year, with more than 6,000 recovered at two facilities alone.
Cotton emphasized that the proposed FCC actions could help reduce violent crime within prison walls.
Today’s tour of Arkansas’ Burner Prison reaffirmed our long-held beliefs about the persistent issue of contraband mobile phones in our correctional system. These devices pose security risks that allow criminals to orchestrate activities from behind bars. I want to thank everyone involved for their cooperation on this vital matter. The Trump administration has focused on curbing violent crime, and we commend Chairman Kerr’s announcement about the forthcoming FCC vote, which will empower prisons to combat smuggling more effectively. Congress should quickly pass the Mobile Phone Clogging Reform Act of 2025 to back this initiative.
As smuggling remains a pressing issue, corrections officers are calling for more authority to utilize tools that can interfere with unauthorized cell phone use. Recently, a bipartisan group of state attorneys general backed Cotton’s bill supporting the Mobile Phone Disruption Reform Act.
Governor Huckabee Sanders commented on the importance of public safety:
Ensuring public safety is a primary concern for our government, and it’s clear that contraband cell phones represent a significant threat to the safety of Arkansans. President Trump is restoring order and holding law enforcement accountable to their duties. I am thankful for the leadership of President Trump, Senator Cotton, and Chairman Carr on this pressing issue, as well as for Attorney General Griffin’s support in the state. Together, we will hold criminals accountable and protect our communities.
Griffin added:
Today, I joined Senator Cotton, Chairman Kerr, and others in observing firsthand the challenges posed by smuggling mobile phones in Arkansas. We saw a collection of confiscated devices and discussed the dangers they present to both corrections officers and the public. The inclination to use such phones for organizing criminal activity—ranging from assaults to murders—cannot be overlooked. I appreciate the efforts to move forward with regulations that will allow correctional facilities to implement jamming technologies. This is a straightforward issue with an urgent need for resolution.
The FCC is set to vote on the proposal during its Open Meeting on September 30th. This measure will establish a framework for approving the jamming of mobile devices, balancing the needs of the corrections department with those of wireless carriers.
