Military Downs Border Drone Over Texas
Texas authorities closed airspace after the military shot down a Customs and Border Protection drone. The incident has prompted lawmakers to call for a review. The event raises questions about coordination between federal and military agencies operating along the U.S. border.
The drone was brought down near Fort Hancock, Texas, by a laser-based anti-drone system operated by the U.S. military. The Federal Aviation Administration responded by expanding a temporary flight restriction in the area for "Special Security Reasons," though commercial flights were not impacted. According to a preliminary internal report, the incident may have been a result of miscommunication, with Customs and Border Protection allegedly failing to notify the Department of Defense about the drone's flight path. The drone was then mistaken for an unknown and potentially threatening aircraft. Democratic Representatives Rick Larsen, Bennie Thompson, and André Carson, who oversee transportation and homeland security committees, issued a joint statement expressing their frustration. They stated, "Our heads are exploding over the news that DoD reportedly shot down a Customs and Border Protection drone using a high risk counter-unmanned aircraft system." The lawmakers attributed the event to a "lack of coordination" and criticized the White House for sidestepping a bipartisan bill aimed at improving training for operators of counter-unmanned aircraft systems and fostering better communication between the Pentagon, the Department of Homeland Security, and the FAA. This is the second time in a month that anti-drone operations have led to airspace closures in the region. Earlier in February, the FAA briefly shut down airspace near El Paso International Airport after a laser system was used, which in that case turned out to be targeting a party balloon. Customs and Border Protection operates a fleet of drones, including the Predator B, to patrol remote areas of the border. These unmanned aircraft are used for surveillance and to support agents on the ground by providing an aerial view of rugged terrain.
