AG Nessel Joins Bipartisan Coalition Backing Legislation to Curb Contraband Cell Phones in Prisons

LANSING — Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has joined a bipartisan coalition of 31 attorneys general calling on Congress to pass H.R. 2350 and S. 1137, federal legislation allowing states to deploy cell phone jamming systems in prisons. Introduced by Tennessee Congressman David Kustoff and Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton, the bill aims to disrupt inmates’ ability to orchestrate crimes from behind bars using smuggled cell phones.

“We have seen cases of inmates smuggling cell phones into correctional facilities to commit crimes like drug trafficking, fraud, and even violent attacks beyond prison walls,” Nessel said. “This legislation is crucial in cracking down on contraband cell phones and protecting inmates, correctional staff, and the public.”

The coalition’s letter to Congress (PDF) highlights how inmates exploit contraband phones to: 

• Direct drug trafficking operations;
• Orchestrate violence inside and outside prison walls;
• Run sophisticated fraud schemes preying on vulnerable citizens;
• Intimidate witnesses and terrorize victims’ families; and
• Plot escape attempts endangering law enforcement and the public. 

Federal law currently bans states from using cell phone jamming technology, leaving correctional facilities defenseless against an escalating threat. Carefully designed to avoid disrupting emergency signals like 9-1-1, H.R. 2350 and S. 1137 would grant states the authority to deploy targeted jamming systems within prisons. “This is not a partisan issue—it is a matter of public safety,” the letter stresses—noting the bipartisan urgency of the issue. A 2020 survey of 20 state corrections departments uncovered 25,840 contraband cell phones in a single year, a stark reminder of the scale of the crisis.

Led by Tennessee Attorney General Skrmetti and the attorneys general of Georgia, North Carolina, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, the attorneys general of Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Northern Mariana Islands, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia stand united in calling on Congress to act decisively and pass this critical legislation in 2025.

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