Lawmakers say US Military used laser to take down Border Protection drone in TX
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People stand in line at check-in counters at El Paso International Airport, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, in El Paso, Texas. (AP Photo/Morgan Lee) The U.S. military used a laser Thursday to shoot down a “seemingly threatening” drone flying near the U.S.-Mexico border. It turned out the drone belonged to Customs and Border Protection, lawmakers said.
AI Summary
Main Idea: The FAA faced a new airspace closure after the U.S. military used a laser near the Texas border to stop a drone that lawmakers said turned out to belong to Customs and Border Protection.
Key Points:
- The military fired the laser at what it thought was a threatening drone near Fort Hancock, Texas, close to the U.S.-Mexico border.
- Lawmakers said the drone was actually a Customs and Border Protection aircraft, raising concerns about poor coordination.
- The FAA closed nearby airspace, but the shutdown was smaller than the earlier El Paso closure and did not affect commercial flights.
- Representative Rick Larsen and Senator Tammy Duckworth criticized the Trump administration and called for better training and an independent review of the incident.
Impact on the People
Negative Impact
Drone misfires can disrupt flights, raise safety worries, and add costs for travelers, airlines, and taxpayers.
Positive Impact
Better FAA, Pentagon, and CBP coordination could reduce drone threats near the border and make airspace safer for communities.
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Candidate Entities9 candidates · 5 weighted vote min · 70% decision
- Federal Aviation Administrationgovernment agency or bodyPrimaryAI selected
Central agency that closed airspace and was part of the joint response to the drone incident.
Include 0 (0%)Ignore 0 (0%)5 to threshold - Department of Homeland Securitygovernment agency or bodyMajorAI selected
Central department identified as part of the interagency coordination on border drone defenses.
Include 0 (0%)Ignore 0 (0%)5 to threshold - Department of Wargovernment agency or bodyMajorAI selected
Named in the joint statement as a central military actor involved in the counter-drone effort.
Include 0 (0%)Ignore 0 (0%)5 to threshold - Representative Rick LarsenpersonMajorAI selected
Named lawmaker who said he was stunned and issued a joint statement criticizing the incident and administration response.
Include 0 (0%)Ignore 0 (0%)5 to threshold - Senator Tammy DuckworthpersonMajorAI selected
Named senator who called for an independent investigation and is a central quoted critic.
Include 0 (0%)Ignore 0 (0%)5 to threshold - Trump administrationgovernment agency or bodyMajorAI selected
Central governing actor criticized for handling of drone coordination and border airspace actions.
Include 0 (0%)Ignore 0 (0%)5 to threshold - House Homeland Security Committeegovernment agency or bodyContextCandidate
One of the congressional committees whose leaders were notified and reacted to the incident.
Include 0 (0%)Ignore 0 (0%)5 to threshold
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