The sudden closure of the airspace over El Paso, Texas, on Wednesday, February 11, was a big deal – but probably not for the reason you think.
For years, the Federal Aviation Administration has blocked meaningful actions against rogue drones — whether mysterious swarms over sensitive U.S. military bases or increasingly daring raids by Mexican drug cartels. The FAA’s eternal fear? That military countermeasures, from electronic jamming to kinetic options, can endanger civilian or commercial aircraft.
This paralysis persisted even as threats increased.
MEXICAN CARTEL DRONES ARE BREAKING U.S. SKY AND ARE BEING KILLED BY THE WAR DEPARTMENT, DUFFY Says
I wrote about this bureaucratic inaction in October 2024, when unidentified drones—some as wide as 20 feet—flew around Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, for seventeen consecutive nights in late 2023. These intruders flew over Air Combat Command headquarters, home to F-22 Raptors, and approached the world’s largest naval station in Norfolk and other critical locations. The Biden-Harris White House was informed, but nothing was done. Suggestions to jam signals, deploy targeted energy, or simply shoot them down were dismissed as too risky or illicit. A risk-averse culture prioritized avoiding mistakes over defending U.S. territory.
The Feb. 11 incident in El Paso marked a dramatic break from that pattern — and a major victory over the cartel’s growing drone threat.
Mexican cartels have become alarmingly sophisticated in drone operations. Department of Homeland Security data shows that more than 60,000 cartel drone flights took place along the border in the second half of 2024 alone – an average of about 330 per day.
And this is not a toy.
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Cartels use them for three primary missions along the southern border: counter-reconnaissance to locate border patrols and military positions; aerial denial, deploying swarms to threaten US aircraft and create de facto no-fly zones for smuggling; and direct drug delivery, with some drones carrying large payloads.
Reports indicate that cartel operatives have even traveled to Ukraine to volunteer on the front lines against Russia to master advanced drone tactics, including fiber-optic guided FPV drones that are immune to jamming. The same techniques have appeared in Mexico’s cartel wars, where gangs targeted rivals with precision explosives.
What happened over El Paso? The War Department claims that cartel drones have breached US airspace near El Paso International Airport and, crucially, targeted sensitive military facilities, highlighting the urgent need to act.
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In response, FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford decided Tuesday evening to close the airspace for 10 days without alerting the White House, the Pentagon or local officials, according to media reports. Whether on its own or at the behest of FAA employees, the FAA’s overreaction reeked of malicious compliance: bureaucrats following the policy brief while producing an absurd, counterproductive result.
The War Department quickly neutralized the invaders, reportedly at least one cartel drone and, according to some accounts, a stray party balloon.
Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy confirmed the operation: “The FAA and DOW acted quickly to address a cartel drone incursion. The threat has been neutralized and there is no threat to commercial traffic in the region.”
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In response to the 10-day airspace closure, local leaders, including Democratic Rep. Veronica Escobar, the economic damage this would cause in a border city with almost 700,000 inhabitants.
Fortunately, within hours, after officials confirmed the threat had been eliminated, restrictions were lifted and normal flights resumed. Common sense prevailed – for now.
This incident comes amid intense pressure from the Trump administration on Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and her ruling Morena party. With Venezuela and Cuba – to which Mexico has provided energy and financial support in exchange for authoritarian lessons in governance – now largely neutralized by US policy, and the USMCA trade deal suspended, Sheinbaum faces a stark choice: rein in the cartels or face the consequences.
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But cartels have to make money, and withdrawing is not in their nature. Escalation may be on the table. But what if the US strikes back?
Mexico maintains the world’s largest consular network in the United States – 53 consulates – which have at times served as hubs for political agitation and influence operations within American immigrant communities. These networks could amplify civil unrest beyond the current disturbances in cities like Minneapolis.
And the American opponents lurk in the background. China and Iran have clear interests in a chaotic southern border – whether through fentanyl precursors or violent proxy disruption.
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The action in El Paso is welcome and long overdue — another step in President Donald Trump’s call last summer for military action against the cartels. But one skirmish doesn’t win a war. America must maintain this momentum: equip the Border Patrol and military with strong counter-drone authority, streamline the rules of engagement, and hold Mexico accountable.
Our sovereignty and security require nothing less.
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