Attorney General Alan Wilson urges Congress to combat prison cell phone threats in bipartisan coalition

(COLUMBIA, S.C.) – South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson has joined a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general from across the country urging Congress to take immediate action to combat a growing threat to public safety: contraband cell phones in prisons. 

For years, Attorney General Wilson has led on this issue, calling on Congress and the Federal Communications Commission to allow cell phone jamming within state prisons. 

“For years, in South Carolina and across the nation, prison cells have become command centers for crime. Inmates are using contraband phones to traffic drugs, extort victims, and even order hits,” said Attorney General Alan Wilson. “This isn’t just a talking point—it’s a full-blown crisis. I’m once again calling on Congress: give states the power to jam these phones. Enough talk. It’s time to act.” 

In a joint letter sent to congressional leaders, Attorney General Wilson and 30 other attorneys general called for the swift passage of H.R. 2350 and Senate companion bill S. 1137, legislation that would allow states to implement cell phone jamming technology in correctional facilities. 

Despite stringent security measures, inmates across the U.S. continue to use smuggled phones to coordinate violent crimes, direct drug trafficking operations, orchestrate fraud schemes, and intimidate witnesses. A recent national survey found nearly 26,000 contraband phones recovered in state prisons in a single year alone. 

The proposed legislation would authorize states to deploy jamming systems inside prison walls—without disrupting emergency communications or public cell service. Current federal law prohibits such systems in state prisons, even though the technology is allowed inside federal prisons.

“This is not a partisan issue—it’s a public safety issue,” Wilson added. “Every day we delay is another day criminals can exploit our prisons to harm the public. We’re calling on Congress to act now.” 

The letter is being led by the attorneys general of Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, and the U.S. Virgin Islands and joined by South Carolina, 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, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia. 

You can read the letter here.