Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall called on Mar. 31 for federal officials to work with state and local authorities to address the increasing use of drones to deliver contraband into prisons. Marshall, along with attorneys general from 20 other states, urged the Trump administration to grant state and local law enforcement legal authority to intercept or disable drones before they reach correctional facilities.
The issue is significant because drones are being used nationwide by criminals to smuggle narcotics, weapons, cell phones, and other items into prisons. This activity poses a threat not only within prison walls but also fuels crime in surrounding communities.
Currently, only a limited group of federal agencies have the authority under federal law to detect and respond to unauthorized drone activity. As a result, correctional officers often lack the ability and tools needed for real-time intervention against these threats. In their letter addressed to Dr. Sebastian Gorka, Deputy Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Counter Terrorism, the attorneys general praised efforts such as creating the Task Force to Restore American Airspace Sovereignty but emphasized that more action is needed at all levels.
“Criminals have found a way to turn the skies above our prisons into a smuggling route, delivering drugs, weapons, and phones past the fence line while our officers watch with their hands tied by federal law. That has to change,” Attorney General Steve Marshall said. “We’re asking the Trump administration to give state and local law enforcement the clear legal authority they need to intercept these threats before they land.”
The letter highlighted recent incidents in Alabama where individuals were arrested after allegedly attempting drone deliveries of marijuana and other contraband into prisons in February. The attorneys general wrote that this illegal activity “is happening all over the country and the consequences are severe,” citing risks such as addiction from drugs entering facilities, increased violence due to smuggled weapons, and ongoing criminal operations facilitated by contraband cell phones.
Marshall’s office serves as Alabama’s chief law enforcement agency with statewide jurisdiction over legal matters across all counties according to its official website. The office focuses on initiatives aimed at reducing violent crime and supporting victims according to its official website, has been recognized for service during emergencies like receiving a Hometown Hero honor during the pandemic according to its official website, and has influenced policy through high-profile cases such as defending convictions under laws like the Brody Act according to its official website. Marshall became Alabama’s forty-eighth attorney general after being sworn in on Feb. 10, 2017 according to its official website.
The coalition urges continued collaboration between federal partners so those using drones for illicit purposes can be investigated or prosecuted efficiently.