FAA Restricts Texas Airspace Following Pentagon’s Reported Shutdown of Border Patrol Drone

In a significant friendly-fire incident near the U.S.-Mexico border, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has imposed flight restrictions around Fort Hancock, Texas, after a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) drone was reportedly shot down by a Pentagon-operated laser defense system.

The incident has sparked immediate criticism from senior Democratic lawmakers on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, who released a joint statement expressing outrage over the mishap. Representatives Rick Larsen, Bennie Thompson, and Andre Carson claimed their “heads are exploding over the news” and blamed White House “incompetence” for the incident.

The lawmakers specifically criticized what they described as a “short-sighted” decision to bypass bipartisan legislation that would have established proper training protocols for counter-unmanned aircraft systems (C-UAS) operators and improved coordination between the Pentagon, Department of Homeland Security, and FAA.

In response to the incident, the Department of War, CBP, and FAA released a joint statement acknowledging that military forces had used a counter-drone system against what was perceived as a “seemingly threatening unmanned aerial system operating within military airspace.” The agencies emphasized that the engagement occurred “far away from populated areas” with no commercial aircraft in the vicinity.

“The departments said they are “working together in an unprecedented fashion to mitigate drone threats by Mexican cartels and foreign terrorist organizations at the U.S.-Mexico border,” the statement continued, adding that “the Trump Administration is doing more to secure the border and crack down on cartels than any administration in history.”

Congressional sources told Reuters that the Pentagon used a high-energy laser system to accidentally take down the CBP drone. The area near Fort Hancock has been identified as a hotspot for drone incursions believed to be operated by Mexican drug cartels, highlighting the complex security challenges facing border enforcement agencies.

The FAA confirmed to media that a temporary flight restriction (TFR) was already in place around Fort Hancock prior to the incident but has since been expanded “to include a greater radius to ensure safety.” The agency emphasized that the restriction does not affect commercial flights and was implemented for “special security reasons,” according to an official Notice to Air Missions.

This incident comes on the heels of another border security episode earlier this month, when the FAA temporarily grounded flights at El Paso International Airport for approximately eight hours. A Trump administration official previously attributed that closure to “Mexican cartel drones” that had breached U.S. airspace. In that case, the U.S. military later confirmed it had shot down what was ultimately determined to be a party balloon near El Paso.

These incidents underscore the escalating concerns about drone activities along the southern border. The FBI recently established a national counter-UAS training center at Redstone Arsenal as part of broader efforts to address growing threats from criminals and terrorist organizations utilizing drone technology.

The accidental downing of a CBP drone by Pentagon forces highlights significant coordination challenges between various government agencies tasked with border security and airspace protection. It also raises questions about protocols for identifying friendly versus hostile unmanned aircraft in increasingly crowded and contested airspace along the U.S.-Mexico border.

As cartels and other non-state actors continue to adopt sophisticated technologies like drones for surveillance and smuggling operations, U.S. security agencies face mounting pressure to develop effective countermeasures while avoiding costly and potentially dangerous friendly-fire incidents like the one near Fort Hancock.