Mexican cartel drones forced a temporary shutdown of El Paso International Airport on Wednesday, prompting swift action from U.S. authorities. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) initially imposed a 10-day closure citing special security reasons, but lifted it hours later after the Department of War disabled the drones. Officials confirmed no ongoing threat to commercial travel.
A Mexican cartel drone incursion in the border city of El Paso, Texas, led the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to ground all flights departing El Paso International Airport on Wednesday for what it described as "special security reasons." The restrictions covered a 10-mile radius around the airport, allowing planes above 18,000 feet to fly over but not extending into Mexican airspace. Similar measures were applied in Santa Teresa, New Mexico, about 15 miles from El Paso.
The White House confirmed to The Daily Wire that "Mexican cartel drones breached U.S. airspace," and the Department of War acted "to disable the drones." "The FAA and DOW have determined there is no threat to commercial travel," an administration official stated. The FAA announced shortly after: "The temporary closure of airspace over El Paso has been lifted. There is no threat to commercial aviation. All flights will resume as normal." The airport, which handles up to 100 flights daily, serves a city of around 678,000 people bordering Mexico.
This incident follows a February 1, 2025, internal memo from the El Paso Sector Intelligence and Operations Center (EPT-IOC) warning that Mexican cartel leaders had authorized drones equipped with explosives against U.S. Border Patrol agents and military personnel. The memo, titled "Officer Safety Alert," recommended reporting drone sightings to leadership and the EPT-IOC.
Local officials expressed concern initially. Democrat Rep. Veronica Escobar, whose district includes El Paso, called the 10-day shutdown "unprecedented" and stated there was "no immediate threat to the community." After the lift, she reiterated: "The FAA is rightfully lifting the Temporary Restricted Airspace. I will again reiterate there is no threat to El Paso or the surrounding areas."
State Sen. Cesar Blanco, a Democrat, noted his office was contacting agencies for justification, adding: "Actions like this are taken out of an abundance of caution to protect our community. I encourage everyone to remain calm and patient as we await further information."
The event underscores cartels' increasing use of drones, as seen in Mexico. In 2024, bomb-dropping drones killed soldiers in Michoacán. Last year in Chihuahua, a drone injured a Mexican army officer, a soldier, and a police officer. Chihuahua state police Chief of Staff Luis Aguirre said: "We’ve had a pair of incidents in which members of organized crime are using drones with explosives to hinder our personnel on the ground." Last week, U.S. and Mexican officials met in New Mexico to counter such threats, with Chihuahua Public Safety Secretary Gilberto Loya announcing a "structural collaboration to tackle these emerging issues and crimes."
