The U.S. military used a laser to disable a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) drone near El Paso, Texas, lawmakers said Thursday, prompting the Federal Aviation Administration to close nearby airspace. It was the second reported laser deployment in the region in two weeks, and officials said the military is required to formally notify the FAA whenever it takes counter-drone action in U.S. airspace.
Officials have not released details explaining why the laser was used. Two weeks earlier, a CBP-fired laser near Fort Bliss, roughly 50 miles northwest of El Paso, failed to strike a target but led the FAA to shut El Paso airspace for several hours and to multiple commercial flight cancellations. This latest closure was smaller and did not affect commercial flights.
Reps. Rick Larsen and two other senior Democrats on the House Transportation and Infrastructure and Homeland Security committees said they were stunned by the notification and blasted the administration for bypassing a bipartisan bill meant to train drone operators and improve coordination among the Pentagon, the FAA and the Department of Homeland Security. The lawmakers accused the administration of poor coordination and inadequate communication among agencies.
In a joint statement, the FAA, CBP and the Pentagon said the military “employed counter-unmanned aircraft system authorities to mitigate a seemingly threatening unmanned aerial system operating within military airspace.” They said the action occurred well away from populated areas and commercial flights and was part of broader efforts, directed by the president, to block drone threats posed by Mexican cartels and foreign terrorist groups.
The Fort Bliss episode had already raised alarms about interagency coordination after CBP reportedly used an anti-drone laser without notifying the FAA, forcing the agency to close El Paso airspace to safeguard aviation. Members of Congress characterized the incidents as evidence of ongoing dysfunction among federal agencies responsible for airspace safety.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said he plans to brief lawmakers and defended the FAA’s decision to restrict airspace, calling the closure appropriate and not the result of a communications lapse. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, the ranking member of the Senate Aviation Subcommittee, urged independent investigations, describing the situation as alarming and warning that poor handling has sown confusion in U.S. airspace. Her call followed findings from the investigation of last year’s midair collision near Washington, D.C., which highlighted lapses in data sharing and coordination between the FAA and the Army.
Concerns about drone threats have been rising. Two months ago, Congress expanded state and local law enforcement authority to remove rogue drones when personnel are trained to do so; previously, this power had been limited to a handful of federal agencies. The federal government has committed more than $250 million to help states prepare for drone threats ahead of major events such as World Cup matches and the nation’s upcoming 250th birthday, with another $250 million in grants expected later this year.
Drones are already a persistent problem along the southern border. Cartels frequently use unmanned aircraft to transport drugs and to surveil Border Patrol operations. Officials told Congress that more than 27,000 drones were detected within roughly 1,600 feet (500 meters) of the southern border during the last six months of 2024. Homeland Security estimates there are over 1.7 million registered drones in the United States, a figure that continues to grow, and reports of near-misses and risks to manned aircraft have increased.
Counter-drone technologies vary: some systems jam radio links to seize control, others use high-powered microwaves or lasers to disable a drone’s electronics, and some deploy interceptor drones to collide with or capture hostile aircraft. Kinetic measures, such as projectiles, are more common on battlefields than in domestic settings, where authorities favor non-kinetic options that reduce risk to people and infrastructure.