The US government has banned unauthorized drone flights within one nautical mile of the border with Mexico, from the ground up to 400 feet, for a year. The FAA’s notice dates the restriction from 19 October 2026 to 19 October 2027.
The departments of Transportation, War and Homeland Security announced it on 16 October and called it “effective today”. The FAA’s notice, signed the same day, carries the restriction in three NOTAMs: ZLA 6/9954, ZAB 6/9955 and ZHU 6/9956, one for each of the FAA’s Los Angeles, Albuquerque and Houston air traffic control centres. The NOTAMs themselves set the exact times and boundaries.
Permission to fly inside the zone comes from Customs and Border Protection, not the FAA. Operators must ask at least 48 hours ahead and give their name, FAA certificates, the flight’s date, time and place, and the drone’s make, model, serial number and Remote ID. First responders and disaster crews can ask for faster clearance by phone.
The stated target is cartels. “Our warfighters will shoot down any cartel drone that threatens America’s sovereignty,” said Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. He said the troops were equipped with technology including directed energy weapons.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy spoke of “cartel drone threats”, and Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said the step would protect border personnel. None of the three gave figures for drone crossings or incidents.
The Pentagon has been building up counter-drone equipment on the border. Its counter-drone task force, JIATF-401, said on 15 October that it had deployed more than $25 million of counter-drone technology there in its first year.
The FAA’s last wide restriction tied to immigration enforcement went the other way. In January it barred drones within 3,000 feet of Homeland Security vehicles and facilities, then replaced the ban with a warning in April, after a Minneapolis photojournalist challenged it in court. That case, Levine v. FAA, is still open.
