The El Paso International Airport briefly suspended operations Wednesday afternoon after the U.S. Government intercepted and neutralized drones originating from Mexican drug cartels, according to a statement from the Department of Transportation. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced the incident on X, stating that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Pentagon “reacted swiftly to address an incursion” by unmanned aerial vehicles.
“The threat was neutralized and there is no danger to commercial traffic in the region,” Duffy wrote. The airport, which borders Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, and the nearby Santa Teresa, New Mexico, were both affected by the temporary airspace restrictions. All flights to and from El Paso were suspended during the event.
The incident comes as the U.S. Continues to grapple with the flow of illicit drugs, particularly fentanyl, across the border. The Pentagon initiated a large-scale operation in September targeting narcolanchas – drug-running boats – in the Caribbean and Pacific, resulting in over one hundred casualties, according to reports. Simultaneously, the U.S. Has been receiving extradited cartel leaders and members from Mexico, with the Mexican government reporting increased seizures of fentanyl.
Former border czar Tom Homan, speaking at a Turning Point USA conference at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), has been a vocal critic of the situation, though he was not directly involved in responding to Wednesday’s drone incident.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum stated Wednesday that she had “no information” regarding the use of drones near the border and announced an investigation into the closure of airspace over El Paso.
The incident occurred amid heightened rhetoric from former President Donald Trump, who recently warned on Fox News that he does not rule out military action south of the border, stating, “The cartels are running Mexico. It’s very, very sad to see and contemplate what has happened in that country.”
Some flights connecting Mexico to the US have been cut, according to KTSM 9 News, though It’s currently unclear if this is related to the drone incident. USA Today reported that 13 US-Mexico flights have been cancelled.
