U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar of El Paso and three members of the New Mexico congressional delegation are asking the Trump administration for a classified briefing on this week’s airspace restrictions that they say “created widespread fear, uncertainty and chaos in the region while disrupting commercial, medical, private, and military aviation activities.”
The letter was sent Thursday to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy from Escobar and Rep. Gabe Vasquez and Sens. Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Lujan of New Mexico. All four members of Congress are Democrats.
Late Tuesday, the Federal Aviation Administration issued temporary flight restrictions over El Paso and a broad area of southern New Mexico west of Santa Teresa that would have barred all flights – including military, medical and public safety missions – for 10 days.
The sweeping restrictions were unprecedented in U.S. aviation history, and were issued without notice to local or state governments, and without any public explanation.
The El Paso restrictions were lifted seven hours after they were issued, and following intense criticism from Escobar and widespread anxiety and fear in El Paso. The New Mexico restrictions remain in effect.
“We are urgently requesting a classified briefing on what occurred, with representatives from your agencies made available to speak to the roles they played, acknowledge where the failed communication occurred, and share the steps you are taking to ensure a future crisis of this nature will not reoccur,” the letter from the four members of Congress said. “Events like this are inexcusable and cause lasting degradation of trust among communities with their local and national leaders.”
Spokespersons for Hegseth, Noem and Duffy didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment from El Paso Matters.
SEE ALSO: El Paso airport closures spur fear, confusion – and questions
Federal officials have not explained the reasons for the airspace restrictions, other than a comment from Duffy that they were issued after a drone crossing from Mexico was taken down. Escobar, Vasquez and other members of Congress said that was untrue.
Vasquez said he learned from federal and local officials that restrictions were a “disproportionate response” by the FAA after the aviation safety agency “was tracking the DOD’s counter drone tests for multiple days.”
Multiple media outlets have reported that Customs and Border Protection officials were also involved in the tests with a high-energy laser and shot down a party balloon that was mistaken for a drone entering from Mexico.
Officials have not explained why the air restrictions remain in place over a southern New Mexico area stretching from the Mexican border on the south to Organ Mountains-Desert Peak National Monument on the north.
The Border Patrol is active in the southern part of the restricted area. The border in the restricted area is part of a National Defense Area established last year by the Trump administration.
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