El Paso Airspace Shut Down Then Reopened Amid Drone Dispute

The Federal Aviation Administration closed airspace around El Paso International Airport and Fort Bliss late Tuesday night, planning for a 10-day shutdown that grounded all flights. The move came amid reports of drone activity from Mexican cartels and a military push to test anti-drone equipment, but officials offered conflicting explanations before reopening the space just seven hours later.

Background

El Paso sits right on the U.S.-Mexico border, next to Ciudad Juarez. The city has about 700,000 people in its core, and the metro area is even larger. It serves as a busy spot for trade and travel between the two countries. Fort Bliss, a major Army base nearby, handles a lot of training and testing for new gear, including tools to fight drones.

For years, drug cartels across the border have flown drones into U.S. airspace. These drones scout Border Patrol moves, drop drug packages, or even watch agents. Experts say this happens almost every day. The government has poured more money into counter-drone efforts lately, giving the military and Homeland Security new powers and tools. But that has led to growing pains, as local leaders put it, especially when tests bump up against regular air traffic.

The trouble started around 11:30 p.m. Tuesday. The FAA posted a notice for a flight restriction due to special security reasons. It covered commercial flights, cargo, and private planes. No one in El Paso city hall, at the airport, or in Congress got a heads-up. People woke up to news of the closure, and some thought there was a big threat. Hospitals missed a flight with surgical gear, which had to land in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Travelers lined up at counters, unsure what to do.

Key Details

Word spread fast with different stories. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy posted on X early Wednesday that the FAA and Defense Department handled a cartel drone incursion from Mexico. He said they acted fast, neutralized the threat, and cleared the area for normal flights. No details came on how many drones, when they crossed, or what took them down.

Conflicting Accounts from Leaders

But others saw it differently. Rep. Veronica Escobar, a Democrat from the area, held a morning news conference. She said there was no emergency. Her office and the House Armed Services Committee got briefed that this was a planned FAA action, not a sudden attack.

“Based on the information I have right now — which is the same information that the House Armed Services Committee has been provided — that is not the information, what you’ve just shared, is not what we in Congress have been told.” – Rep. Veronica Escobar

Rep. Tony Gonzales, a Republican whose district will soon cover parts of El Paso and Fort Bliss, called it growing pains. He praised the military and Homeland Security for stepping up on counter-drone work but said communication fell short.

“The real story here is the military, working with Department of Homeland Security, is moving in the right direction on counter-drone, counter-UAS, operations.” – Rep. Tony Gonzales

Some reports pointed to a spat between the Pentagon and FAA. Defense officials wanted to test a drone-busting laser right away, even with a meeting set for later in the month. The FAA shut down airspace to keep planes safe. It was not clear if the laser fired. Fort Bliss had been running protected airspace activities for days, and one base official blamed the FAA for poor coordination.

El Paso Mayor Renard Johnson talked about the fallout. He got a midnight call and reached out to hospitals. One lost key medical supplies. He stressed that El Paso is a big city, not some small outpost, and this disruption felt like nothing seen since 9/11.

The Pentagon stayed quiet on its role, just repeating Duffy's line. The White House pointed to cartel drones. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's office sent questions to the FAA. By morning, the airport posted that flights were back on and urged checking with airlines.

What This Means

This quick shutdown and reopen shows the tight balance on the border. Cartel drones push agencies to act fast with new tech like lasers. But poor talks between the FAA, Pentagon, and locals can cause chaos. Flights got back fast, but the 10-day plan would have hit trade hard. El Paso handles tons of cross-border goods, and delays could ripple to businesses and patients.

Lawmakers like Escobar and Gonzales want better notices. Escobar pushed the FAA to lift limits right away. A new bill on criminal drones stalled in New Mexico's session, but federal efforts ramp up. Daily drone flights from cartels mean more tests and closures could come. Hospitals and travelers now know the risks. Base activities at Fort Bliss will keep going, but smoother handoffs might prevent scares.

The event highlights bigger border strains. More funding means more tools, but also more chances for mix-ups. Residents felt the worry overnight, from safety fears to missed flights. Officials agree the drone threat is real, yet the exact trigger here stays murky. As counter-drone work grows, eyes stay on El Paso for how teams work out the kinks.