FAA lifts El Paso flight restriction after brief airport shutdown
El Paso TimesFEB 8
FAA Lifts El Paso Airspace Closure
FAA Lifts El Paso Airspace Closure
Above: A sign at the El Paso International Airport (ELP) in El Paso, Texas, on Dec. 25, 2025. Image credit: Kirby Lee/Getty Images
The Spin
Mexican cartel drones have repeatedly tested U.S. airspace along the southern border, but the risks posed to airborne assets this time waswere even higher. Once drones entered restricted airspace near El Paso, the FAA rightly imposed a temporary flight restriction until defense officials neutralized the threat. Security protocols have worked as intended.
The El Paso airport closure was a chaotic mess with zero transparency and conflicting explanations that don't add up. Officials were blindsided by the sudden shutdown, and the administration's muddled responses reveal either incompetence or a dangerous lack of coordination. This debacle exposes systemic failures in how agencies communicate during critical operations.
Metaculus Prediction
There's a 35% chance that the U.S. will deploy military forces in Mexico without the cooperation of the Mexican government before 2029, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
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© 2026 Improve the News Foundation.
All rights reserved.
Version 6.18.0