U.S. military downs border drone in Texas

The drone was brought down near Fort Hancock, Texas, by a high-energy laser weapon operated by the U.S. military. This accidental downing prompted the Federal Aviation Administration to expand airspace closures in the region for "special security reasons," though commercial flights were not impacted. In a joint statement, the Pentagon, CBP, and FAA stated the military was acting on its authority to counter a "seemingly threatening unmanned aerial system operating within military airspace." An internal report suggested that CBP may not have informed the Defense Department about its drone's flight path, leading the military to believe it was an unknown aircraft. Several Democratic members of Congress, including Reps. Rick Larsen, Bennie Thompson, and Andre Carson, released a statement expressing their frustration. They said their "heads are exploding" over the incident and blamed it on a "lack of coordination" between the Pentagon, the Department of Homeland Security, and the FAA. This is the second time in a month that anti-drone measures have led to airspace restrictions in the area. Just over two weeks prior, the FAA temporarily shut down the El Paso airport after a different anti-drone laser was used. That earlier incident reportedly involved the downing of what was later identified as a party balloon. The region frequently experiences incursions from drones operated by Mexican drug cartels, which use them for surveillance and drug transport. In the last six months of 2024, officials detected over 27,000 drone flights near the southern border. Lawmakers have previously criticized the White House for sidestepping a bipartisan bill aimed at improving training and coordination for counter-drone operations.