“Those accounts, offered on the condition of anonymity because the officials were not authorized to comment publicly, challenge the official explanation from the Trump administration. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, along with representatives for the White House and the Pentagon, insisted on Wednesday that a sudden incursion of drones from Mexican drug cartels had necessitated a military response, which prompted the F.A.A. to close the airspace.”

Military’s Use of Anti-Drone Technology Said to Cause El Paso Airspace Closure

“The Trump administration blamed the disruptive halt on a cartel drone incursion, but others have disputed that explanation.”

What We Know About the El Paso Airspace Shutdown

“The transportation secretary, Sean Duffy, said the shutdown was a response to an incursion of drones from Mexican drug cartels. But multiple people briefed on the situation told The New York Times that the airspace had been closed after immigration officials used an anti-drone laser this week that was on loan from the Pentagon without giving the F.A.A. time to assess the risks associated with the technology.”

Trump’s Actions Test the Fragile World of Air Travel

“Sean Duffy, the transportation secretary, has been mum on the topic since Wednesday, when he asserted that the shutdown was caused by a military response to a Mexican drone incursion. ... But the episode turned bizarre when C.B.P. officials used the technology on what they thought was a cartel drone earlier this week but appeared to have been a party balloon, according to two officials.”

Closing of El Paso Airspace Adds to Tension Between F.A.A. and Pentagon

“Trump administration officials said the sudden closure of El Paso’s airspace this week was because of a drone flown by a Mexican cartel.In reality, U.S. officials shot a laser at a party balloon, The New York Times reported.”

Do Drug Cartels Actually Use Drones at the Border?

“Senior administration officials described the incident as having been prompted by a drone crossing into the United States from Mexico, an explanation repeated by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy this week. White House officials declined to comment on Friday, and referred to a social media post from Mr. Duffy, published on Wednesday, that said the administration “acted swiftly to address a cartel drone incursion.” But that narrative was disputed by multiple people familiar with the situation who said the border protection unit ended up shooting down a party balloon, rather than a drone.”

Inside the Debacle That Led to the Closure of El Paso’s Airspace

“Earlier this week, Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy declared that the authorities had confronted a "cartel drone incursion" over El Paso, Texas, only for the threat to turn out to be a party balloon.”

The El Paso drone scare is the future of national security paranoia