Flights were briefly halted at El Paso International Airport this week after the Biden administration authorized military action to disable drones linked to Mexican drug cartels operating in U.S. airspace. The White House confirmed the incident Wednesday after the FAA abruptly lifted a 10-day flight restriction that had caused widespread concern across the region.
“Mexican cartel drones breached U.S. airspace. The Department of War took action to disable the drones,” a White House official said in a statement. “The FAA and DOW have determined there is no threat to commercial travel.”
The incident prompted the FAA to impose a temporary restriction over a 10-mile radius around El Paso, Texas, grounding all departing flights from one of the busiest airports along the southern border. The move raised eyebrows after an initial advisory suggested the shutdown would last for ten days. Flights over 18,000 feet were still allowed, but low-altitude commercial flights were stopped entirely.
The Department of War’s response was not detailed, but sources familiar with the operation confirmed that the drones were intercepted and neutralized using classified defense systems. The drones are believed to have been monitoring border patrol activity, a growing tactic used by transnational criminal organizations smuggling narcotics and trafficking humans.
Nearby Santa Teresa, New Mexico, was also placed under similar restrictions, though FAA officials clarified that Mexican airspace was not affected. El Paso, a city of nearly 700,000, is a critical hub for border security operations and commercial transit with Mexico.
Rep. Veronica Escobar, a Democrat who represents the area, initially criticized the FAA’s decision. “The highly consequential decision by FAA to shut down the El Paso Airport for 10 days is unprecedented and has resulted in significant concern within the community,” she said, before later conceding, “There is no threat to El Paso or the surrounding areas.”
Texas State Senator Cesar Blanco echoed the need for calm, calling the shutdown a precautionary measure. “Actions like this are taken out of an abundance of caution to protect our community,” he said.
Although the FAA has now resumed normal airport operations, federal agencies have not ruled out future interventions if additional cartel drone activity is detected. According to defense officials, this week’s response could set a precedent for how the U.S. deals with foreign criminal surveillance crossing into domestic skies.
The post White House Responds After Taking Out Mexican Cartel Drones In U.S. Airspace appeared first on Real News Now.
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