Little Rock, Arkansas – Arkansas took center stage in a national debate this week as Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders joined top federal and state leaders to unveil a sweeping plan to combat contraband cellphone use inside prisons. The initiative, driven by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), would for the first time authorize correctional facilities to jam illegal cellphones that continue to flood prisons across the country.
The announcement came after a high-profile roundtable in Little Rock, where Sanders stood alongside FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, U.S. Senator Tom Cotton, Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin, and other public safety officials. Prior to the public event, the group toured the Varner Unit of the Arkansas Department of Corrections, one of the state’s highest-security prisons, to witness firsthand the magnitude of the contraband problem.
Officials have long warned that smuggled phones enable inmates to bypass prison monitoring systems, allowing them to coordinate gang operations, order violent attacks, and direct criminal enterprises well beyond prison walls. Despite ongoing security crackdowns and technological solutions deployed in correctional facilities, the devices continue to pour in by the thousands each year, posing what leaders described as a “direct and ongoing threat” to public safety.
“Public safety is government’s first priority, and the evidence clearly shows that contraband cell phones pose a direct threat to Arkansans’ security,” said Governor Sanders. “President Trump is restoring order and delivering on his promises to the American people by empowering the men and women of law enforcement to do what they selflessly signed up to do – protect and serve. I am grateful for President Trump, Senator Cotton, and Chairman Carr’s leadership on this issue at the federal level, as well as Attorney General Griffin’s leadership here in our state. Together, we will hold criminals accountable and protect Arkansans.”
A Historic FCC Shift
Chairman Carr confirmed that the FCC is preparing to take unprecedented action. At its September 30th meeting, the Commission will vote on a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that could allow prisons to deploy jamming technology in coordination with wireless carriers.
“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,” Carr said. “For years, thousands upon thousands of contraband cellphones have been pouring into prisons, and some of the worst possible offenders have been using them to order hits, coordinate violent gang activity, and aid criminal enterprises. While the FCC has authorized a range of solutions in the past, it has stopped short of allowing jamming. It is time to empower law enforcement to put additional solutions in place—including jamming. I would like to thank the leadership of the great state of Arkansas for hosting us today and for the leadership you have shown in working to eliminate this pressing threat to public safety.”
Carr emphasized that any authorization framework must balance security with the rights of everyday Americans. The FCC proposal will include safeguards to prevent harmful interference with nearby networks and ensure that residents, workers, and travelers in communities around prisons do not lose wireless service.
Lawmakers Press for Congressional Action
The push in Arkansas comes as Congress considers federal legislation aimed at cementing these powers. Senator Cotton has championed the Cellphone Jamming Reform Act of 2025, arguing that the issue demands a legislative fix alongside regulatory change.
“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,” Cotton said. “These phones are a security risk that allow criminals to coordinate crimes while sitting behind bars. I’m grateful to Chairman Carr, Attorney General Griffin, and Governor Sanders for their participation and their partnership on this issue. The Trump administration is committed to stopping violent crime and I applaud Chairman Carr’s announcement that the FCC will soon vote on a proposal to give our prisons the ability to jam contraband cellphones for the first time. Congress should follow their lead and codify this proposal by immediately passing the Cellphone Jamming Reform Act of 2025.”
Arkansas Leaders Echo Concerns
Attorney General Griffin, who joined Sanders and Cotton on the prison tour, underscored the scale of the problem by pointing to the sheer volume of confiscated devices.
“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. Varner staff showed us the collection of contraband cellphones that have been confiscated,” Griffin said. “After our visit to Varner, I joined Senator Cotton, Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Chairman Carr, Lindsay Wallace, Secretary of the Arkansas Department of Corrections, and other public safety leaders for a roundtable meeting at my office to discuss the threat that contraband cellphones pose to correctional officers and the general public. Thousands of contraband cellphones have poured into prisons across the country, and inmates have been using them to plan further criminal activity, including assault, murder, and aiding criminal enterprises. I applaud Chairman Carr and the FCC for moving forward with a rule that would allow correctional facilities to use jamming solutions to combat contraband cellphones, and I appreciate the leadership of Senator Cotton and Congressman David Kustoff (R-Tennessee) on this issue. This is an obvious problem with an obvious solution, and it’s time to get this done.”
The Scope of the Crisis
The contraband cellphone crisis is not confined to Arkansas. A 2024 national study revealed that more than 25,000 illicit devices were recovered across U.S. prisons in a single year. In some facilities, staff confiscated over 6,000 phones each, a staggering figure that corrections experts say reflects the sophisticated networks used to smuggle electronics past security.
For correctional officers, the stakes are high. Illegally obtained cellphones have been linked to assaults on prison staff, threats against families, and orders for violence carried out in communities hundreds of miles away. Officials argue that existing measures—such as managed access systems and detection technologies—have been helpful but not enough to stem the tide.
That frustration has fueled bipartisan calls for reform. Earlier this year, attorneys general from both parties signed a letter urging Congress to grant state correctional facilities the authority to implement stronger tools, including jamming. The letter highlighted Senator Cotton’s bill as a necessary step forward.
What Comes Next
The FCC’s proposal will now move through the agency’s formal process, beginning with circulation among commissioners ahead of the September 30th open meeting. If approved, the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking will solicit public input on technical standards, operational safeguards, and the cooperation needed between correctional departments and private wireless providers.
Proponents see the upcoming vote as a turning point in a years-long struggle. Opponents, however, have historically raised concerns about the unintended consequences of jamming technology, especially potential disruptions to emergency calls or nearby service. FCC officials insist the framework will directly address those issues, ensuring that only illicit prison-based signals are affected.
For Arkansas, the announcement marks a major moment in its push to crack down on prison-related crime. For the nation, it signals a broader effort to close one of the most dangerous loopholes in the correctional system—one smuggled phone at a time.
