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The sudden closure of airspace over El Paso, Texas, on Wednesday, Feb. 11 was a big deal — but likely not for the reason you think.
For years, the Federal Aviation Administration has blocked meaningful action against rogue drones — whether mysterious swarms over sensitive U.S. military bases or increasingly bold incursions by Mexican drug cartels. The FAA’s perennial fear? That military countermeasures, from electronic jamming to kinetic options, might endanger civilian or commercial aircraft.
This paralysis persisted even as threats mounted.
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I wrote about this bureaucratic inaction in October 2024, when unidentified drones — some up to 20 feet across — buzzed Langley Air Force Base in Virginia for 17 consecutive nights in late 2023. These intruders flew over the headquarters of Air Combat Command, home to F-22 Raptors, and neared the world’s largest naval station in Norfolk and other critical sites. The Biden-Harris White House was briefed, yet nothing was done. Suggestions to jam signals, deploy directed energy or simply shoot them down were rejected as too risky or unauthorized. A risk-averse culture prioritized avoiding mistakes over defending American soil.
The Feb. 11 incident in El Paso marked a dramatic break from that pattern — and a significant victory against the growing cartel drone threat.
Mexican cartels have grown alarmingly sophisticated in drone operations. Department of Homeland Security data show more than 60,000 cartel drone flights along the border in the second half of 2024 alone — an average of about 330 per day.
And these aren’t toys.
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Cartels use them for three primary missions along the southern border: counterreconnaissance to track Border Patrol and military positions; aerial denial, deploying swarms to threaten U.S. aircraft and create de facto no-fly zones for smuggling; and direct drug delivery, with some drones carrying large payloads.
Reports indicate cartel operatives have even traveled to Ukraine, volunteering on the front lines against Russia, to master advanced drone tactics — including fiber-optic-guided FPV drones immune to jamming. Those same techniques have appeared in Mexico’s cartel wars, with gangs targeting rivals using precision explosives.
What happened over El Paso? The Department of War claims cartel drones breached U.S. airspace near El Paso International Airport and, critically, approached sensitive military facilities, stressing an urgent need to act.
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In response, on Tuesday night, according to media reports, FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford decided to close the airspace for 10 days without alerting the White House, the Pentagon or local officials. Whether on his own or at the urging of career FAA employees, the FAA’s overreaction reeked of malicious compliance — bureaucrats following the letter of policy while producing an absurd, counterproductive result.
The Department of War swiftly neutralized the intruders, reportedly at least one cartel drone and, by some accounts, a stray party balloon.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed the operation: “The FAA and DOW acted swiftly to address a cartel drone incursion. The threat has been neutralized, and there is no danger to commercial travel in the region.”
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Reacting to the 10-day airspace closure, local leaders, including Democratic Rep. Veronica Escobar, highlighted the economic damage it would cause in a border city of nearly 700,000 residents.
Thankfully, within hours, after officials confirmed the threat had been eliminated, the restrictions were lifted and normal flights resumed. Common sense prevailed — for now.
This incident comes amid intense pressure from the Trump administration on Mexico’s president, Claudia Sheinbaum, and her ruling Morena party. With Venezuela and Cuba — which Mexico provided energy and financial support to in exchange for authoritarian governance lessons — now largely neutralized by U.S. policy, and the USMCA trade deal on hold, Sheinbaum faces a stark choice: rein in the cartels or face consequences.
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But cartels must make money, and backing down is not in their nature. Escalation may be on the table. But what if the U.S. hits back?
Mexico maintains the world’s largest consular network in the United States — 53 consulates — that have at times served as hubs for political agitation and influence operations within America’s immigrant communities. Those networks could amplify domestic unrest beyond current disturbances in cities such as Minneapolis.
And lurking in the background are America’s adversaries. China and Iran have clear interests in a chaotic southern border — whether through fentanyl precursors or violent proxy disruption.
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The El Paso action is welcome and long overdue — another step in last summer’s call by President Donald Trump for military action against the cartels. But one skirmish does not win a war. America must sustain this momentum: Equip Border Patrol and the military with robust counter-drone authority, streamline rules of engagement and hold Mexico accountable.
Our sovereignty and security demand nothing less.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM CHUCK DEVORE
Chuck DeVore is a vice president with the Texas Public Policy Foundation, was elected to the California legislature, is a retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel, and the author of the new book, “Crisis of the House Never United.”
