Border Security & Airspace Safety

The Pentagon says a U.S. military high‑energy laser system mistakenly shot down a Customs and Border Protection drone Wednesday near Fort Hancock, Texas, and the FAA expanded an existing temporary flight restriction around the area for “special security reasons,” saying commercial airline operations were not affected. DoD, CBP and FAA officials said the engagement used counter‑UAS authorities against a “seemingly threatening” unmanned system in military airspace away from populated areas, prompting demands for independent investigations from lawmakers and drawing comparisons to a Feb. 11 FAA airspace closure near El Paso tied to earlier laser testing and coordination problems.