Federal officials temporarily shut down air traffic at El Paso International Airport after the Pentagon allowed Customs and Border Protection to deploy an anti-drone laser near Fort Bliss, according to two people familiar with the matter. The closure lasted only hours, but it stranded travelers and raised new questions about coordination between defense and aviation agencies.
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Two sources said the Pentagon empowered the U.S. Customs and Border Protection to deploy an anti-drone laser near Fort Bliss without FAA coordination, temporarily closing El Paso's airspace on Wednesday.
The FAA initially grounded all flights to and from El Paso International Airport for 10 days due to safety concerns. After “neutralizing” a cartel drone “threat,” police withdrew the order and resumed normal operations hours later.
The sudden shutdown trapped people, halted commercial activity, and rerouted humanitarian flights. Before flights restarted, airport officials canceled seven arrivals and seven departures.
One source stated that the Pentagon authorized the use of lasers earlier in the week. Following the activation of the technology near Fort Bliss, the FAA blocked the airspace to ensure the safety of commercial aircraft. Others reported the deployment occurred before a Pentagon-FAA conference to discuss such activities.
This is an unusual move. Aviation security experts said halting an airport for security reasons is “extremely rare,” as officials usually isolate specific threats.
Ending the closure relieved travelers. Jorge Rueda, 20, welcomed the flight cancellation, saying, “10 days turned into two hours.”
Lawmakers demanded answers soon. Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-El Paso, said neither her office nor local officials were prenotified. After activities restarted, she said the government's answers “do not add up.”
“I believe the FAA owes the community and the country an explanation,” Escobar added.
Republican Sen. Ted Cruz said he would want an FAA briefing. Illinois Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth called the incident another example of agency “lack of coordination”.
A Trump administration official said federal agencies cooperated to defend national security. Beyond echoing Duffy, the Pentagon declined to comment.
Drones frequently cross Texas' southern border. Texas Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales said such incursions are common. "It is Wednesday for us," he remarked.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said her administration has “no information” concerning border drone use and asked U.S. officials to give data.
Additional comments from the FAA, DHS, and DOT were not immediately available. Recent safety probes revealed communication gaps between defense and aviation authorities, prompting the short halt.
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