Lawmakers say US military used laser to take down Border Protection drone

Associated Press (AP)CenterEN 2 min read 100% complete by 2 MIN READFebruary 27, 2026 at 03:53 AM

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The U.S. military reportedly used a laser to take down a Customs and Border Protection drone near Fort Hancock, Texas, prompting the FAA to close airspace in the area. This is the second laser incident in two weeks; the first, involving CBP near Fort Bliss, caused a temporary shutdown of El Paso airport. Members of Congress expressed concern over the incident, criticizing the Trump administration for a lack of coordination between agencies. The FAA expanded the airspace closure around Fort Hancock, while CBP has not yet responded to questions. The incidents highlight ongoing concerns about communication and coordination between the Pentagon, FAA, and Department of Homeland Security regarding drone operations.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Pentagon 40% Sean Duffy 40% Department of Homeland Security 40% House Transportation and Infrastructure committee 50% Fort Bliss ×250% U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen 60% Fort Hancock, Texas ×260% Trump administration 60% El Paso, Texas ×470% U.S. military 80% Federal Aviation Administration ×490% Customs and Border Protection ×390%

Keywords

laser 90% drone 80% airspace closure 70% federal aviation administration 70% el paso 60% border protection 60% us military 50% communication 40% air traffic 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Negative

Score: -0.40

Source Transparency

Source

Associated Press (AP)

Political Lean

Center (0.00)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

Geographic Perspective

El Paso, Texas

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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laser drone airspace closure federal aviation administration el paso border protection us military communication air traffic

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