Lawmaker Presses Pentagon, DOJ, DHS, and FAA for Unified Plan to Counter Rising Drone Threats in U.S. Airspace

Rep. Gabe Vasquez warns that cartel, criminal, and unknown drone incursions demand an all-of-government counter-UAS strategy — not fragmented authorities.

A growing number of lawmakers and national security experts warn that the United States lacks a comprehensive, interagency strategy to protect American communities from increasingly sophisticated drone threats, as uncrewed systems proliferate across the homeland. This week, Rep. Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.) escalated pressure on top federal officials to close that gap.

In a letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Attorney General Pam Bondi, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, and FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford, Vasquez urged the administration to jointly craft “new, clear, and effective federal guidance” to counter illicit drone activity threatening public safety and national security.

“This is a national security issue, and I’m calling on the administration to give law enforcement the tools they need to keep our communities safe,” Vasquez told 'TELL IT LIKE IT IS' Defense News.

Drone Threats Escalating From Border to Interior Cities

The congressman, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, said he has personally witnessed drone-enabled cartel operations during multiple trips along the U.S.–Mexico border. Cartels and transnational criminal organizations have used drones to:

• Track Border Patrol movements
• Scout gaps in border infrastructure
• Smuggle contraband
• Conduct counter-surveillance
• And in some cases, threaten explosive-laden drone attacks on U.S. law enforcement

The problem is no longer confined to the border. Vasquez said police in Albuquerque — 200 miles north — now report frequent drone incursions linked to criminal trafficking and counter-surveillance operations.

“Local police departments are unable to properly identify who is flying these drones, and they do not have the resources and guidance needed from the federal government to effectively engage them,” he wrote.

Military Installations Report Alarming Drone Incursions

White Sands Missile Range (WSMR) Mission Support Services (MSS)

The issue is hitting military facilities as well. Vasquez said officials at White Sands Missile Range (WSMR) have raised concerns about repeated incursions into restricted airspace — and what he described as the Defense Department’s “limited capacity to detect or counter them.”

WSMR is a key hub for testing advanced weapons, missile defense technologies, and classified systems — making drone incursions a serious intelligence and operational security threat.

The congressman said base leadership has urgently requested clearer authorities for when and how they can engage drones entering sensitive airspace.

Push for an Interagency Strategy as the Trump Administration Expands Counter-UAS Programs

The warnings come as the second Trump administration accelerates deployment of American-made drones, sensors, and counter-UAS technologies across federal agencies. A series of executive directives issued this summer requires DOD and civilian agencies to expand their counter-drone arsenals and modernize base defenses.

But experts say the federal government still lacks the interagency framework needed to coordinate these efforts — leaving state, local, tribal, and territorial authorities with patchy authorities and unclear rules of engagement.

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, enacted in July, includes a $500 million grant program for localities to purchase counter-drone tools ahead of major national events such as:

• The 2026 FIFA World Cup
• The 2028 Olympics
• The 250th Anniversary of the United States

Still, without unified federal guidance, most jurisdictions cannot fully implement advanced counter-UAS tools unless formally deputized by federal agencies.

Vasquez: A “Nationwide Problem” Demands an “All-of-Government Response”

Vasquez urged the nation’s top defense, law enforcement, and aviation officials to lead a proper whole-of-government strategy.

“It is imperative that you prioritize developing and deploying effective counter-drone technology that will allow agencies to engage drones being utilized by bad actors,” he wrote.

The congressman stressed that drone-enabled criminal activity, espionage risks, and airspace incursions are “a nationwide issue, not limited to New Mexico.”

When asked about the concerns raised in the letter, a Pentagon spokesperson told 'TELL IT LIKE IT IS' Defense News that “as with all congressional correspondence, the department will respond directly to the authors.”

With drone threats rising in both frequency and sophistication, lawmakers warn that the window to establish apparent federal authority — and prevent a mass-casualty or intelligence-compromise incident — is rapidly closing.

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-- By Bronwyn A. Stone

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