The FAA closed airspace around El Paso International Airport for 10 days due to unspecified Special Security Reasons, grounding all flights in and out of the airport.

The restriction was issued on short notice and airport staff are seeking further guidance from the FAA amid the confusion.

Local leaders, including El Paso Mayor Renard Johnson, criticized the lack of advance notice and coordination, noting disruptions to critical services and hospital procedures.

Lawmakers say cross-border drone activity by cartels is common, with DHS citing drones used daily to smuggle drugs and surveil agents; DHS data shows more than 27,000 drones detected near the southern border in late 2024.

The segment appeared on CNN News Central as part of a broader news package rather than a standalone in-depth feature.

Juárez officials sought information as border authorities reportedly searched for drone activity but found no evidence.

Fort Bliss to the north and White Sands Missile Range to the northwest underscore the region’s strategic military significance.

Pentagon counter-drone operations near Fort Bliss and DoD postings suggest ongoing efforts that may have influenced the FAA’s actions.

The incident amplified scrutiny of immigration facilities at Fort Bliss and the surrounding political debate on immigration policy.

Mexican officials planned to meet U.S. counterparts to discuss the shutdown, with the Mexican president seeking exact explanations from U.S. authorities.

U.S. Representative Veronica Escobar pressed the FAA for an explanation, disputing claims of a cartel drone incursion and citing a lack of coordination with local authorities.

DHS data show thousands of drone flights near the border, suggesting that a single balloon or object would be unlikely to justify a prolonged airspace shutdown.