US military accidentally downs border patrol drone – lawmakers

The Federal Aviation Administration has halted flights around Fort Hancock, Texas, following the reported incident

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has imposed sweeping flight restrictions near Fort Hancock, Texas, after lawmakers and congressional aides said a Pentagon-operated laser-based anti-drone system allegedly shot down a US government drone near the Mexican border.

The FAA barred most aircraft from operating in the affected airspace late Thursday, citing “special security reasons” in a Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM). The restrictions took effect at 6:30 PM local time and are scheduled to remain in place until June 24, though emergency flights such as air ambulances and search-and-rescue operations may be authorized on a case-by-case basis.

Neither the Pentagon nor the FAA commented on the reported incident, but senior Democratic lawmakers overseeing aviation and homeland security issues criticized the “incompetence” and poor coordination between military and civilian agencies.

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“Our heads are exploding over the news that the DoD reportedly shot down a Customs and Border Protection drone using a high-risk counter-unmanned aircraft system,” Representatives Rick Larsen, Bennie Thompson, and Andre Carson said in a joint statement on Thursday.

According to congressional aides cited by Reuters, the drone operated by CBP was unintentionally targeted by a high-energy laser weapon designed to counter unmanned aerial threats. The type of drone involved and the exact date of the shootdown remain unclear.

The reported shootdown follows a similar controversy earlier this month in nearby El Paso, where the FAA briefly halted airport traffic after concerns emerged over testing of the same system against objects later identified as party balloons. That restriction was lifted within hours after the Pentagon reportedly agreed to delay further testing pending a federal safety review.

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The new incident comes amid heightened security concerns along the southern US border, where federal authorities have expanded surveillance and counter-drone efforts in response to increased activity by Mexican drug cartels.

Cartel violence swept Mexico after drug lord Oseguera Cervantes, also known as El Mencho, was killed in a joint US-Mexican military operation in Tapalpa, Jalisco, last week. The operation triggered unrest across Jalisco and at least eight other states, with videos circulating online showing smoke rising from torched cars and commercial buildings. Clashes between the military and drug cartels have raised concerns about the smooth staging of the 2026 FIFA World Cup this summer.