A pair of recent airspace disruptions in the El Paso area has raised a new question for border security and aviation officials: as drones become more common, will drone threats and sudden flight restrictions become part of life along the U.S.-Mexico border and South Texas?
The first incident came on February 11, when the Federal Aviation Administration abruptly shut down airspace around El Paso and part of southern New Mexico for what it called “special security reasons.” The closure was initially set to last 10 days, a move that would have effectively grounded flights in and out of El Paso International Airport. But the FAA reversed course within hours, saying the airspace had been reopened and that there was no threat to commercial aviation.
The White House later said the action was tied to concerns about cartel drones crossing into U.S. airspace, though other reporting indicated the closure was also linked to a dispute over the safety of a military laser-based counter-drone system being used near civilian aircraft.
A second incident followed on February 27 near Fort Hancock, about 50 miles southeast of El Paso. Reuters and the Associated Press reported that the U.S. military used a laser-based anti-drone system and accidentally shot down a Customs and Border Protection drone after mistaking it for a threat.
The FAA then expanded flight restrictions in the area for “special security reasons.” Officials said no commercial planes were nearby, but the episode intensified criticism over poor coordination among the Pentagon, the FAA and CBP.
Border officials have been warning for months that criminal groups in Mexico are using drones for surveillance, smuggling and, in some parts of Mexico, even attacks. Reuters also reported that cartel drones have become a growing flashpoint along the border, even if no cartel drone attack on U.S. soil has been confirmed.
The broader concern is that drone technology is now spreading from battlefields to everyday security operations. The war in Ukraine has accelerated the development of cheap, fast, highly capable drones, and lawmakers say the U.S. is still struggling to adapt its rules for detecting and stopping them safely.
Guest:
Henry Ziemmer is the Americas Program Researcher at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), focusing on Latin America, security, and transnational threats including criminal use of technology such as drones.
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