El Paso, Texas — The Federal Aviation Administration on Wednesday lifted a temporary closure of airspace over El Paso International Airport, just hours after halting flights in and out of the airport due to what officials described as a security threat involving cartel-operated drones.
The FAA initially announced the airspace would be closed for up to 10 days, citing “special security reasons.” U.S. officials later confirmed the disruption was caused by a breach of U.S. airspace by drones linked to Mexican drug cartels.
Administration officials told CBS News that the Department of Defense took action to disable the drones and that federal agencies subsequently determined there was no ongoing threat to commercial aviation.
“There is no threat to commercial aviation. All flights will resume as normal,” the FAA said in a statement after lifting the restriction.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy echoed that assessment, saying on social media that the FAA and the Department of Defense “acted swiftly to address a cartel drone incursion” and that the situation had been “normalized.” He added that there was no danger to commercial travel in the region.
During the brief closure, the FAA classified the area as “national defense airspace” and warned that the government could use deadly force against any aircraft deemed an imminent security threat. The restrictions applied to flights operating below 18,000 feet, allowing aircraft at cruising altitude to continue flying over the region.
Two airline sources said carriers were informed that the closure was implemented out of an abundance of caution, largely because officials could not reliably predict drone flight paths. U.S. military drones have been operating outside their usual corridors, using Biggs Army Airfield near El Paso International Airport as part of counter-drone operations.
Flights to and from El Paso were canceled early Wednesday after airlines learned of the closure through FAA postings. El Paso International Airport said the decision was made on short notice and advised travelers to contact their airlines for updates.
The FAA warned that pilots who failed to comply with the restrictions could face interception, detention, civil penalties, loss of licenses, or criminal charges.
Local and federal officials criticized the lack of advance notice. Rep. Veronica Escobar, a Democrat who represents El Paso, said she learned of the closure late Tuesday night through informal channels rather than directly from the FAA.
“This was an FAA decision and was done without any local consultation and without any local communication,” Escobar said during a news briefing. “That is not the way the federal government should operate.”
She described the move as “highly consequential” and “unprecedented,” noting it caused significant concern in the community.
Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, chairman of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, also said he was not notified in advance.
“In a major airport in a big city, we’d like to know what they’re doing and why,” Paul said on CBS Mornings.
El Paso International Airport typically sees about 55 daily departures across six major airlines, including Southwest Airlines and American Airlines. Normal flight operations resumed after the FAA lifted the restriction.
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