The Trump administration reported on Wednesday that a drone, linked to a Mexican drug cartel, intruded into U.S. airspace and was swiftly dealt with by the military.
This incident took place close to El Paso International Airport in Texas, prompting the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to temporarily close the airport late Tuesday. Transportation Commissioner Sean Duffy confirmed the airspace violation and stated that restrictions were lifted on Wednesday.
“The FAA and DOW acted quickly to manage cartel drone incursions,” Duffy remarked. He assured that “the threat has been neutralized and there is no risk to commercial travel in the region.” He also mentioned that normal operations had resumed.
Interestingly, Duffy did not disclose how many drones were involved or the specific actions taken to render them unmanned. Initially, the FAA indicated that the airport would remain closed for a remarkable 10 days due to “special safety reasons,” which is unusual for any U.S. city.
El Paso, home to a population of about 700,000, functions as a significant cross-border commercial hub alongside the nearby Ciudad Juárez in Mexico. The brief closure did not extend to Mexican airspace.
Democratic Rep. Veronica Escobar, representing El Paso, urged the FAA to lift the restrictions. She highlighted that she, along with the city and airport operator, were not given prior notice about the closure.
Escobar expressed concern by saying, “The FAA’s very significant decision to close the El Paso Airport for 10 days is unprecedented and has caused significant concern to the community.” She added that information obtained by her office indicated there was no immediate threat to the area.
Coinciding with this, the Texas Department of Public Safety issued a warning about a “fake memo” that had been circulating online, claiming that significant road closures in the El Paso area would happen for the next 10 days. They affirmed, “This is a fake memo and DPS does not intend to close any major highways or other roads within or outside the region for the next 10 days.”
