CBP fires anti-drone laser at party balloons, triggering El Paso airspace closure

CBP officers at the El Paso border used a military-supplied counter-drone laser to shoot down four mylar party balloons on February 11, 2026, misidentifying them as a cartel drone and without coordinating with the FAA. The FAA responded by closing El Paso airspace below 18,000 feet for up to 10 days, grounding medical helicopters and commercial flights before lifting the closure the same day. Administration officials and lawmakers initially described the incident as a successful cartel drone interdiction; internal documents later showed it was party balloons.