LITTLE ROCK, AR — The Federal Communications Commission is set to vote on a groundbreaking proposal that would allow prisons to implement cellphone jamming solutions to combat the use of contraband cellphones.
This announcement follows a meeting between U.S. Senator Tom Cotton, Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Attorney General Tim Griffin, and FCC Chairman Brendan Carr.
Griffin explained that thousands of contraband cellphones have infiltrated prisons nationwide, enabling inmates to plan further criminal activities, including assault and murder.
He expressed his support for the FCC’s move to allow jamming solutions, calling it “an obvious problem with an obvious solution.”
“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,” said Griffin.
“Varner staff showed us the collection of contraband cellphones that have been confiscated.”
Chairman Carr emphasized the importance of the proposal, 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.”
Senator Cotton echoed these sentiments, noting that contraband cellphones are a significant security risk.
“Today’s tour of Varner Prison in Arkansas reaffirmed what we’ve long known—contraband cellphones are a real and ongoing problem in our correctional system,” he said.
Governor Sanders highlighted the threat these phones pose to public safety, stating, “Public safety is government’s first priority, and the evidence clearly shows that contraband cell phones pose a direct threat to Arkansans’ security.”
The FCC’s upcoming vote marks a significant step in addressing the issue, with leaders urging Congress to support the initiative by passing the Cellphone Jamming Reform Act of 2025.
