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Pentagon Uses Laser to Down Drone Near Texas Border as Lawmakers Say It Belonged to CBP

Calls for an independent probe intensified after a second border laser incident in two weeks raised aviation‑safety and oversight concerns.

Overview

  • The Defense Department, FAA and CBP said U.S. forces used counter‑UAS systems against an apparently threatening unmanned aircraft operating in military airspace near Fort Hancock, Texas.
  • House Democrats Rick Larsen, André Carson and Bennie Thompson said they were officially notified and reported the downed aircraft was a CBP drone, criticizing breakdowns in coordination and training.
  • The FAA issued a temporary flight restriction over Fort Hancock and later expanded it, with officials indicating commercial flights were not affected.
  • Sen. Tammy Duckworth called for a thorough, independent investigation by agency inspectors general into the Fort Hancock action and the earlier El Paso episode.
  • The agencies said they are working together under President Trump’s directive to counter cartel and foreign terrorist drone threats, while key technical details and timelines from the latest engagement remain undisclosed.