U.S. grounds airport flights alleging Mexican cartel drone threat

El Paso airport entrance/Photo by WGN News

News brief

U.S. grounds airport flights alleging Mexican cartel drone threat

Diana Washington Valdez/The Digie Zone Network\Feb. 11, 2026

El Paso, Texas -- This was an unusual day. First, the FAA announced that all flights at the El Paso International Airport and the Santa Teresa, N.M., airports were grounded until Feb. 21 due to a national security issue. Hours later, the restrictions were lifted. I hope we get more details on the "cartel drone incursion."

It's worth saying that the criminal cartels have operatives on the U.S. side of the border and can launch drones from within if they want to do so, for example, to intimidate. If they planned to use drones to ferry contraband, then that's another matter and they can be shot down or otherwise neutralized by U.S. forces.

Given the widespread crackdown on Mexican drug cartels, and the militarization of the border to enforce immigration laws, it was a matter of time before the cartel(s) challenged the crackdown. They are "criminal cartels" because they have diversified beyond drug-trafficking.

[Photo by WGN News.]

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