Pentagon reportedly shot down U.S. Customs and Border Protection drone near Texas-Mexico border, prompting criticism and flight restrictions.

The airspace over Texas was closed after the US military accidentally shot down a Customs and Border Protection drone using a laser, an incident that has sparked significant controversy.

A U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer returned fire and struck Blu Zeke Daly, 26, who'd fired a gun at him at the Pittsburg crossing near Chartierville, Que.

The United States imposed a new 10 percent tariff on all non-exempt goods starting Tuesday, according to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

UNITED States Customs and Border Protection, CBP, said it will halt the collection of tariffs that were issued under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, IEEPA, following the Supreme Court

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced it would cease collecting tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) starting tomorrow, following a Supreme Court ruling.

Border Patrol Fired Army Lasers At Party Balloons, Forcing El Paso Air Traffic Shutdown On Wednesday, after the FAA suddenly shut down airspace over El Paso, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced the unsettling move was prompted by a "cartel drone incursion," and assured Americans that "the threat has been neutralized." However, that shutdown, which impeded everything from commercial air traffic to medevac helicopter flights, was actually caused by a trigger-happy border Border Patrol unit firing a US Army laser weapon at a party balloon, not far from El Paso International Airport.  The introduction of the weapon into a border-security role without FAA approval may have violated federal law. The proposal for arming the border patrol with the anti-drone weapon was first presented to Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg in the spring of 2025, sources tell the New York Times. The goal was the interdiction of drones used to smuggle drugs across the frontier. According to two people, Pentagon staff cautioned that the idea would require approval of the FAA and Transportation Department, but Feinberg said the Pentagon was free to do what it wanted with the weapons. The Pentagon called their account "a total fabrication."  In a Feb 6 email obtained by the Times, the FAA's chief lawyer warned a DOD official that putting the weapon into the border-enforcement mix without restricting the airspace "a grave risk of fatalities or permanent injuries” to civilians flying overhead.  CPB officers reportedly fired an AeroVironment LOCUST laser counter-drone weapon on loan from the US Army (AeroVironment photo) In the predawn hours on Monday, Feb 9, as military service members observed, Customs and Border Protection officers fired the laser weapon at what they assumed was a drone near Fort Bliss, but it was actually a metallic party balloon. Around 5pm that day, a DOD official emailed an FAA lawyer, reiterating the Pentagon's stance that prior FAA approval wasn't needed, and that the laser weapons would continue to be employed on the border, adding that he "looked forward" to a meeting to discuss the topic.  FAA officials were said to be outraged. Early Tuesday evening, the FAA warned the Pentagon and National Security Council that an FAA-mandated shutdown of airspace near El Paso was imminent. Then came the extraordinary order from FAA administrator Bryan Bedford that airspace above El Paso would be closed for 10 days. The "temporary flight restriction notice" forbid any flights below 18,000 feet in the affected area. An angry El Paso Mayor Renard Johnson said the "unnecessary" airspace shutdown, which lasted a few hours, caused "chaos and confusion," including the diversion of medevac flights to Las Cruces, New Mexico. Bedford rescinded the order on Wednesday.   The laser weapon was fired a balloon approaching Fort Bliss, which is immediately adjacent to El Paso International Airport The incident has intensified pre-existing tension between the DOD and the FAA, which goes back to the disastrous January 2025 collision between an American Airlines jet and a US Army Black Hawk helicopter that killed 67 people. At least two near-misses with Army helicopters followed.  While it's been widely and credibly reported that CPB fired at a party balloon, the administration has yet to officially rescind its claims about a "cartel drone incursion." Meanwhile, the safety question hangs heavy in the air. In October 2024, an official at US Northern Command said safety concerns were, at the time, keeping lasers off the table where drone interdiction was concerned:  “The biggest thing right now is the impact of the laser when it moves beyond its target. You know, how far is it going? What’s that going to do? How long does the laser need to remain on target before it begins to inflict damage and so on, right?”  It's far from clear if those questions have since been satisfactorily answered. To the extent they're still being sorted out, maybe that process shouldn't be taking place next to El Paso International Airport.  Tyler Durden Sun, 02/15/2026 - 13:25

Lawyers allege that Customs and Border Protection officials threatened unaccompanied migrant minors with dogs and stun guns to coerce them into self-deporting.

Legal advocates are working to stop a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) policy that allegedly pressures unaccompanied children to self-deport.

The United States on Tuesday imposed new tariffs of 10% on all goods not covered by exemptions, according to a notice from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), identical to the initial rate that he had announced.

The US Customs and Border Protection agency said it will halt collections of tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act at 12:01 am EST on Tuesday, more than three days afte

US Coast Guard Seizes $133.5 Million In Illicit Drugs Authored by Naveen Athrappully via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours), Crew of the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Cutter Seneca seized more than $133.5 million worth of cocaine and offloaded the drugs at Port Everglades, Florida, the agency said in a Feb. 13 statement. The crew of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Mohawk (WMEC 913) and a Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter flight crew conduct training evolutions in the Caribbean Sea, on July 15, 2025. Seaman Corrie Gill/U.S. Coast Guard “80 percent of interdictions of U.S.-bound drugs occur at sea. This underscores the importance of maritime interdiction in combatting the flow of illegal narcotics and protecting American communities from this deadly threat,” USCG said. In total, 17,700 pounds of cocaine were seized through the interdiction of four drug-transporting vessels in international waters of the Eastern Pacific Ocean. One of the drug vessels was boarded by Seneca’s crew on Jan. 25, seizing 4,410 pounds of cocaine. On Jan. 31, crew members boarded three vessels, taking custody of 13,340 pounds of cocaine, the statement said. The detection and monitoring of illegal drug transit by air and sea are conducted by the U.S. Southern Command’s Joint Interagency Task Force-South, based in Key West. Once it is determined that the vessel must be interdicted, the USCG takes control of the operation, boards the vessel, and apprehends it. “I am extremely proud of the crew’s incredible performance and adaptability during this deployment,” said Capt. Lee Jones, commanding officer of Coast Guard Cutter Seneca. “This deployment demonstrates our enhanced posture and continued success in the fight against narco-terrorism and transnational criminal organizations. “The Coast Guard, in conjunction with our inter-agency and international partners, continues to patrol areas commonly associated with drug trafficking in the Eastern Pacific, denying smugglers access to maritime routes by which they move illicit drugs to our U.S. land and sea borders.” According to the agency, the Coast Guard is accelerating its crackdown on drug trafficking in the Eastern Pacific Ocean in support of Operation Pacific Viper, aiming to protect the United States from the flow of illicit narcotics from South America. Operation Pacific Viper, launched in early August last year, directs U.S. forces to the Eastern Pacific region to counter cartel and criminal groups, seeking to cut off drug and human smuggling before they hit U.S. shores. In early December 2025, USCG said in a statement that it had seized more than 150,000 pounds of cocaine from the Eastern Pacific Ocean, which it said was enough to create more than “57 million potentially lethal doses.” In a Feb. 14 statement, USCG announced the seizure of two vessels containing $5.6 million in illicit narcotics off Port Everglades. Authorities seized roughly 745 pounds of cocaine by interdicting two suspected drug trafficking vessels. “The Coast Guard is in the business of saving lives, and every kilogram of these drugs kept off our streets represents lives saved,” said Lt. Justin Dadlani, commanding officer of Station Fort Lauderdale. “I couldn’t be more proud of the professionalism of the crew and our continued partnerships with our partners with Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations.” On Feb. 15, the agency announced that its Cutter Forrest Rednour had interdicted 14 suspected illegal immigrants aboard a vessel 18 miles from San Diego, with all of them claiming to be Mexican nationals. Earlier on Jan. 27, the Coast Guard said they had interdicted three suspected illegal immigrants from Mexico in two vessels, seven miles off Imperial Beach, California. On Jan. 21, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said the Coast Guard notified the agency of a suspicious vessel traveling toward Puerto Rico. Upon investigation, CBP agents found 12 migrants from Russia and Uzbekistan aboard. The interception took place on Jan. 13. “This successful outcome highlights the strong partnerships between the Coast Guard, Customs and Border Protection, and all federal and local law enforcement partners in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands,” said Capt. Robert E. Stiles, Sector San Juan deputy. “Our daily unified coordination, shared capabilities, and synchronized response efforts are instrumental to safeguarding our nation’s Caribbean maritime borders against illicit smuggling activities.” Tyler Durden Thu, 02/19/2026 - 11:25

After the downing of a Customs and Border Protection drone, the F.A.A. closed the airspace above Fort Hancock, Texas.

A nearly blind refugee from Myanmar was found dead on a Buffalo, New York road after being released by US Customs and Border Protection, his fate unknown since his release.

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 25 — The commander of the Malaysian Customs and Border Protection Agency (MCBA) in Bukit Kayu Hi...

Three Democrat Senators unveiled a bill that would require U.S. Customs and Border Protection to issue refunds over the course of 180 days and pay interest on the refunded amount

The US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced it would suspend the collection of tariffs introduced under the International Eco Law, following a decision by the Supreme Court.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has highlighted insufficiencies in customs bonds as importers face difficulties under the weight of tariffs.