States Call on Congress For Authority to Combat Prisoners’ Contraband Cellphones Use

US prisons and jails, overcrowded with drug cartel and criminal immigrants, have serious issues with inmates use of cellphones for coordinating crime activities during incarceration.

A South Carolina-led letter sent by several states Attorneys General to Congressional leadership in the House and Senate, urges them to pass legislation that would give states additional tools to limit criminal inmates’ use of the contraband cell phones.

●The use of contraband cell phones by inmates presents a serious problem in prisons across America.

●There is clear evidence that these types of cell phones have been used by inmates to engage in and coordinate criminal activity like murders, drug deals, and countless other violent crimes.

●Despite efforts by states to crack down on contraband cell phones, their ability to stop Mexican cartels, gangs, and malicious inmates from utilizing wireless devices has been limited.

To address this problem, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and others are calling on Congress to pass legislation that would empower states to implement a cell phone jamming system in prisons, which would help prevent criminal organizing and better protect law enforcement and the American people.

Although bills have previously been introduced to grant states the authority to jam contraband cell phones, little progress has been made.

The letter states: “We strongly urge Congress to pass meaningful legislation, through this bill or another, to allow states to jam contraband cell phones—and quickly.”

“Right now, these cell phones are still being used, with no way to block them, and are posing an active threat to public safety.”