The US military used a high-energy laser to shoot down a drone that was later identified as belonging to US Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The recent incident sparked significant backlash from lawmakers, who highlighted it as a glaring example of interagency dysfunction within the Trump Administration.
The recent case of mistaken identity prompted the Federal Aviation Administration to close additional airspace around Fort Hancock, about 50 miles southeast of E1 Paso. This marks the second time in two weeks that a laser was fired in the area. Earlier this month, a similar incident occurred near Fort Bliss that prompted the FAA to shut down air traffic at E1 Paso airport and the surrounding area.
The error triggered scrutiny from Democratic lawmakers, who accused President Donald Trump’s administration of showing a “lack of coordination” between agencies.
In this connection, Democratic Representatives Rick Larsen, Bennie Thompsin Andre Carson said in a statement: “Our heads are exploding over the news that DoD reportedly shot down a Customs and Border Protection drone using a high-risk counter-unmanned aircraft system.
Government defends counter-drone laser strike
The FAA, CBP and the Pentagon issued a joint statement acknowledging the military “employed counter-manned aircraft system authorities to mitigate a seemingly threatening unmanned aerial system operating within military airspace. The Department of Defense, FAA, and Customs and Border Protection are collaborating on an innovative approach to mitigate drone threats from Mexican cartels and foreign terrorist organizations at the US-Mexico border.
Concerning the recent situation, the Pentagon, CBP, and FAA said the agencies would boost cooperation to prevent similar mistakes from happening again. “This reported engagement occurred when the Department of War employed countr-unmanned aircraft system authorities to mitigate a seemingly threatening unmanned aerial system operating within the military airspace,” the agencies said in a joint statement quoted by the Times.
Concerns grow over rising drone threats at the border
Drones are already causing problems along the border. Officials told Congress last summer that more than 27,000 drones were detected within 1,600 feet of the southern border in the last six months of 2024.
Meanwhile, an anti-drone system can use radio signals to jam drones or high-powered laser beams, like the ones that have been used in Texas. Nonetheless, the FAA’s flight restrictions for the Fort Hancock area currently remain in place as agencies attempt to reconcile their safety protocols.
