El Paso Airspace Closed After Counter-Drone Laser Incident

Authorities used a laser to disable Mexican cartel drones, leading to flight cancellations and questions about drone defense preparedness.

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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The U.S. government's use of a laser to disable Mexican cartel drones near the border in Texas led to the abrupt closure of the airspace over El Paso, causing the cancellation of more than a dozen flights. The incident has raised questions about the government's ability to deal with drone threats on American soil and the coordination between agencies involved in counter-drone operations.

Why it matters

The El Paso incident highlights the growing threat of drones, particularly from criminal organizations like drug cartels, and the challenges the U.S. faces in developing effective counter-drone technologies and coordinating their use. With major events like the World Cup and 250th birthday celebrations planned, there are concerns about the nation's preparedness to mitigate drone-related risks.

The details

The laser was deployed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection without coordinating with the FAA, leading the agency to ground all aircraft in the El Paso area over safety concerns. The restrictions were initially expected to last 10 days but were lifted a few hours later. Experts say the dysfunction in Texas raises questions about whether the U.S. will be prepared to deal with a significant drone threat, as drones have become a growing concern for security at major events and along the border.

  • On Wednesday, the Federal Aviation Administration shut down the airspace over El Paso.
  • Two months ago, Congress agreed to give more law enforcement agencies the authority to take down rogue drones.

The players

Kristi Noem

Homeland Security Secretary.

Brett Velicovich

Drone warfare expert, founder of drone maker Power.us, and consultant on mitigating drone threats.

Michael Healander

CEO of Airlink, a company that created a low-altitude air traffic control system to track drones.

Michael Robbins

President and CEO of the Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International trade group.

Dennis Tajer

Spokesman for the Allied Pilots Association union.

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What they’re saying

“We need to simplify the authorities for who is really in charge and get these egos out of the way from these different agencies before an American gets hurt.”

— Brett Velicovich, Drone warfare expert

“This was a joint agency task force mission that was undertaken and we're continuing to work on the communication through that.”

— Kristi Noem, Homeland Security Secretary

“We don't want something to happen, but we also want to be prepared to have the tools in place to take action, because these are such big global events.”

— Michael Healander, CEO of Airlink

What’s next

The government agencies involved in the El Paso incident are working to address the communication and coordination concerns that led to the flight cancellations.

The takeaway

The El Paso airspace closure highlights the growing threat of drones, particularly from criminal organizations, and the need for the U.S. government to improve its counter-drone capabilities, coordination between agencies, and preparedness for securing major events against drone-related risks.