Trump Admin: El Paso Airspace Closure Was Tied to Mexican Cartel Drones/ TezzBuzz/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ The Trump administration said a temporary El Paso airspace shutdown was triggered by cartel drones. The FAA lifted the restriction within hours, saying the threat was neutralized. Flights have resumed at El Paso International Airport with no ongoing danger.
El Paso Airspace Closure Cartel Drones – Quick Looks
- FAA briefly ordered 10-day flight restriction over El Paso
- Transportation Secretary says cartel drone incursion prompted action
- Threat neutralized; no risk to commercial aviation
- Flights resumed Wednesday morning
- Similar temporary restriction imposed near Santa Teresa, New Mexico
Deep Look: Trump Administration Says El Paso Airspace Closure Was Response to Cartel Drones
The Federal Aviation Administration reopened airspace over El Paso International Airport early Wednesday after a brief but dramatic shutdown that the Trump administration now says was prompted by cartel-linked drone activity near the U.S.-Mexico border.
The FAA initially announced a 10-day closure of airspace over El Paso for what it described only as “special security reasons.” The order would have grounded all commercial, cargo, and general aviation flights through Feb. 20, raising immediate concerns about major travel and economic disruptions in the region.
However, just hours later, the agency reversed course. In a statement, the FAA said there was no threat to commercial aviation and confirmed that all flights would resume.
Drone Incursion Cited
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a social media post that the FAA and the Defense Department “acted swiftly to address a cartel drone incursion.” He added that the threat had been neutralized and posed no ongoing danger to air travel.
Duffy did not specify how many drones were involved or describe the measures taken to disable them.
The closure applied only to U.S. airspace and did not extend into Mexican territory.
Border Hub Impact
El Paso, a city of nearly 700,000 residents, serves as a major hub for cross-border commerce alongside neighboring Ciudad Juárez, Mexico. El Paso International Airport is a key gateway for west Texas, southern New Mexico, and northern Mexico.
Airlines operating at the airport include Southwest, American, United, and Delta. Southwest Airlines confirmed it paused operations at the FAA’s direction but emphasized that safety remains its highest priority.
The airport had previously announced that flights would be grounded from late Tuesday through Feb. 20 before the restriction was lifted.
Lawmakers Question Communication
The abrupt order drew criticism from Veronica Escobar, whose district includes El Paso. She said her office, city officials, and airport leadership received no advance notice of the planned shutdown.
Escobar called the initial 10-day restriction unprecedented and said it caused significant concern within the community. Based on available information, she said, there appeared to be no immediate threat to local residents.
Additional Restrictions Nearby
A similar temporary flight restriction was also imposed over Santa Teresa, New Mexico, about 15 miles northwest of El Paso. Officials have not provided further details about activity in that area.
Flights Resume
With the FAA lifting the restriction and the administration declaring the threat neutralized, normal air traffic operations resumed Wednesday morning.
The incident underscores growing concerns over drone activity along the southern border and the speed at which federal authorities may act when aviation security is at stake.
More on US News
Comments are closed.