The US announced that the El Paso airport would be closed to civilian air traffic for ten days. Hours later, the ban was lifted. US officials claim that drones operated by Mexican cartels were disabled.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) initially announced a 10-day closure of El Paso’s airspace on Wednesday morning. Closing the airspace over an American city for an extended period of time is rare.
The closure diverted medical flights and surgical equipment from El Paso. Hours later, the FAA reopened the Texas city’s airspace. A US official claimed that the military had disabled drones operated by Mexican cartels in the US.
“The FAA and DOW acted swiftly to address a cartel drone incursion. The threat has been neutralized, and there is no danger to commercial travel in the region,” Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Dufft wrote on X. “The restrictions have been lifted and normal flights are resuming.”
The FAA and DOW acted swiftly to address a cartel drone incursion.
The threat has been neutralized, and there is no danger to commercial travel in the region.
The restrictions have been lifted and normal flights are resuming. https://t.co/xQA1cMy7l0
— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) February 11, 2026
The brief closure of the airspace has left Mexico and American politicians with questions. “The FAA has abruptly lifted its unprecedented ten-day closure of El Paso airspace. Previously, no advanced notice was given and no justifiable explanation had been provided. This rash decision will erode trust in public safety,” Texas Representative Joaquin Castro wrote on X.
He added, “The President should immediately give Congress and the American people a rational explanation for such an extreme and unprecedented move.”
The FAA has abruptly lifted its unprecedented ten day closure of El Paso airspace. Previously, no advanced notice was given and no justifiable explanation had been provided. This rash decision will erode trust in public safety.
The President should immediately give Congress and…
— Joaquin Castro (@JoaquinCastrotx) February 11, 2026
