The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) just made a massive, unprecedented move by imposing a 10-day flight restriction over El Paso, Texas, classifying the area as a “national defense airspace,” only to lift the whole thing hours after the initial notice went out, as reported by ABC News. This sudden, dramatic flip-flop caused major concerns locally and internationally, especially since the FAA and federal officials initially kept the true reasons for the shutdown completely under wraps.
The original notice barred all flight operations, including commercial carriers, cargo planes, and general aviation, within a 10 nautical mile radius of the El Paso Airport, stretching from the ground up to 17,999 feet. The restrictions were set to begin on February 10 at 11:30 PM (MST) and last until February 20 at 11:30 PM (MST), completely shutting down one of the busiest border crossing air hubs for ten full days.
The severity of the restriction was intense. Because the area was designated a national defense airspace, pilots who failed to comply faced serious consequences, including civil penalties, license revocation, or even criminal charges. The notice went so far as to state that the federal government could use “deadly force” against an aircraft if it posed an imminent security threat.
The initial lack of information caused immediate chaos and alarm among local officials
When the dust settled and the restriction was lifted, administration officials finally offered a startling explanation: the temporary closure was a preemptive measure taken amid a Department of War (DOW) operation to disable drones. Apparently, Mexican cartel drones had breached US airspace, forcing the DOW to take action.
One administration official confirmed the breach, stating, “Mexican cartel drones breached US airspace. The Department of War took action to disable the drones.” They added that the agencies have since determined there is “no threat to commercial travel,” which is why the FAA was able to lift the closure so quickly. This is certainly a wild reason for such an extreme measure, and it’s understandable why the FAA quickly assured the public that there is “no threat to commercial aviation.”
Rep. Veronica Escobar, whose district includes El Paso, described the original notice as “unprecedented,” noting it resulted in “significant concern within the community.” She was especially frustrated because her office, the City of El Paso, and airport operations staff received absolutely no advance notice about the incoming restrictions. She publicly urged the FAA to lift the Temporary Flight Restrictions immediately.
El Paso Airport authorities were equally caught off guard, telling travelers to check with their airlines after the FAA issued the restriction on “short notice,” halting all flights to and from El Paso and the neighboring Santa Teresa, New Mexico.
The secrecy even extended south of the border. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum stated that she had no information about why the airspace was closed, though she noted that Mexican airspace itself was not affected. “Texas airspace was closed,” she said, confirming Mexico would investigate the reasons why the shutdown occurred.
Given that El Paso is home to one of the largest cargo facilities near the border, these restrictions could have caused a massive logjam for shipments, creating serious economic disruption, similar to what would happen with the blocking of the Detroit-Canada bridge.
Published: Feb 11, 2026 03:00 pm