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The U.S. government acknowledged Thursday that coordination between federal agencies must improve after the military reportedly used a high-energy laser to shoot down a Customs and Border Protection drone operating in Texas airspace.
The incident, confirmed in a joint statement by the Department of Defense, the Federal Aviation Administration and CBP, drew swift criticism from congressional Democrats, who described it as another example of federal “incompetence.”
It comes just two weeks after CBP used a military-provided laser system to shoot down what were later identified as party balloons near El Paso, triggering a temporary closure of regional airspace.
What happened
In a joint statement, the Pentagon — now rebranded by President Donald Trump as the “Department of War” — said the engagement occurred during a counter-drone operation along the U.S.-Mexico border.
“This reported engagement occurred when the Department of War employed counter-unmanned aircraft system authorities to mitigate a seemingly threatening unmanned aerial system operating within military airspace,” the agencies said.
They added that no commercial aircraft were in the area and that the FAA had been notified. The statement did not explicitly identify the downed drone as belonging to CBP.
However, The New York Times and Bloomberg both reported that the Defense Department used a high-energy laser to shoot down a CBP drone, citing multiple people familiar with the incident who were not authorized to speak publicly.
The FAA said it expanded a temporary flight restriction around Fort Hancock, Texas, though commercial flights were not affected.
Congressional backlash
Democratic lawmakers said they had not been briefed but sharply criticized the reported incident.
“Our heads are exploding over the news that DoD reportedly shot down a Customs and Border Protection drone using a high-risk counter-unmanned aircraft system,” said Rep. Bennie Thompson, the ranking Democrat on the House Homeland Security Committee, in a joint statement with the ranking Democrats on the House Transportation Committee and its Aviation Subcommittee.
They accused the Trump administration of sidestepping bipartisan legislation designed to improve drone training and interagency coordination.
“Now, we’re seeing the result of its incompetence,” the lawmakers said.
Sen. Tammy Duckworth, the top Democrat on the Senate Aviation Subcommittee, called the incident alarming and urged independent investigations.
“The Trump administration’s incompetence continues to cause chaos in our skies,” Duckworth said, citing reports that a high-energy laser was used.
Pattern of breakdowns
The earlier El Paso incident occurred near Fort Bliss, about 50 miles northwest of the city, when CBP personnel fired an anti-drone laser — provided by the military — at objects later identified as party balloons, according to people familiar with the matter.
That incident prompted the FAA to shut down air traffic around El Paso International Airport for several hours, leading to cancellations in a metro area of nearly 700,000 residents near the Mexican border.
According to NBC News, CBP did not coordinate the action with the FAA beforehand, forcing aviation officials to reactively close the airspace.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has said he plans to brief lawmakers on the matter, though he previously argued that the FAA’s decision to close airspace was appropriate and not the result of a communications failure.
Broader concerns
The episode has renewed attention on long-standing coordination issues between civilian aviation authorities and the military.
The National Transportation Safety Board found after last year’s fatal midair collision near Reagan National Airport — which killed 67 people — that the FAA and the Army failed to share critical safety data or address repeated close calls.
Lawmakers say the Texas incidents underscore similar risks, particularly as federal agencies expand the use of counter-drone technology along the border.
In their joint statement Thursday, the Pentagon, FAA and CBP said they would increase cooperation to prevent future incidents.
“These agencies will continue to work on increased cooperation and communication,” the statement said.
