Democrats Express Fury Over US Military's Mistaken Downing of Border Patrol Drone
Democratic members of Congress have voiced profound astonishment and anger following an incident where the US military deployed a laser to shoot down what it believed was a threatening drone near the US-Mexico border in Texas. The unmanned aerial vehicle later turned out to belong to US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), sparking accusations of incompetence within the Trump administration.
Second Laser Incident Disrupts Air Traffic in Two Weeks
This event marks the second time in a fortnight that air traffic has been severely disrupted in the region due to the use of high-energy lasers against drones. The apparent confusion between two US government entities led to the closure of airspace around Fort Hancock, situated directly along the border. Earlier this month, chaos ensued in El Paso, a city of approximately 700,000 residents located about 50 miles from Fort Hancock, when the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) abruptly ordered a 10-day airspace shutdown, only to lift it eight hours later.
The FAA cited "special security reasons" for that initial disruption, but it was later revealed that CBP had targeted what was thought to be a Mexican drug cartel drone, which actually turned out to be a party balloon.
Military Action and Congressional Backlash
The latest incident occurred on Thursday when the military took action against what it described as a "seemingly threatening unmanned aerial system operating within military airspace." According to the Pentagon, the laser-based anti-drone system was activated "far away from populated areas and there was no commercial aircraft in the vicinity." However, top Democratic lawmakers briefed on the matter were livid, highlighting an ongoing lack of coordination within the administration.
US representatives Rick Larsen, Bennie Thompson, and André Carson stated that "our heads are exploding over the news," accusing the Trump administration of "sidestepping" a bipartisan bill aimed at improving drone operator training and enhancing coordination between the FAA, the Pentagon, and CBP. "Now we're seeing the results of its incompetence," the trio asserted.
Calls for Investigation and Ongoing Disputes
Tammy Duckworth, the ranking Democratic member on the Senate aviation subcommittee from Illinois, has called for an independent investigation into both recent anti-drone incidents. "The Trump administration's incompetence continues to cause chaos in our skies," Senator Duckworth declared. The closed airspace is located across the US-Mexico border from the Juárez valley, an area renowned as a smuggling corridor linked to the Sinaloa drug cartel, according to the El Paso Times.
New restrictions on airspace around Fort Hancock will remain in place until 24 June, as per the FAA's notice. Meanwhile, disagreements persist among government agencies regarding the use of anti-drone lasers, which deploy high-powered beams to disable machines. The FAA is pushing for a safety review of this technology and wants all testing halted until completed, but Reuters reports that the Pentagon and CBP have indicated to congressional aides they believe they can use the systems without prior consultation with the FAA.
