SANTA TERESA, N.M. (KFOX14/CBS4) — A New Mexico Congressional Representative called the El Paso airspace shutdown “unacceptable” as flight restrictions remain around the Santa Teresa area.

New Mexico Representative for District 2 Gabe Vasquez accused the Federal Aviation Administration of ignoring standard procedures by closing a city’s airspace without alerting state and local officials.

“There are standard rules and procedures for how our airspace is controlled, including when the Department of Defense (DOD) is conducting any testing in our region. These procedures keep Americans safe and prevent disruption to civil airspace. This morning, the Administration decided to steamroll those policies and close a major city’s airspace without notifying state and local officials. That is unacceptable,” Vasquez wrote in a statement.

AP: Pentagon-FAA dispute over lasers to thwart cartel drones led to airspace closure

Furthermore, Vasquez questioned the explanations that government officials have been giving for the flight restrictions.

Vasquez said the FAA had been tracking the Department of Defense’s “counter drone” tests for days and he believes the FAA mistakenly responded to the tests by shutting down the airspace for 10 days.

“The statements this Administration has put out about the situation are misleading at best and a cover-up for their incompetence at worst,” Vasquez wrote. “Let’s be clear — the Administration has provided no proof of a drone incursion that would warrant this large-scale, 10-day response. Our nation can prepare for these threats without causing chaos and inducing unwarranted fear.”

Vasquez said that despite the 10-day closure of the El Paso airspace, which was cancelled only after seven hours, flight restrictions remain in an area a few miles from the Santa Teresa jet port, which remains open and was never impacted by the closure.

Below is Vasquez’s full statement:

I have been tracking this situation since very early this morning, and I want to assure southern New Mexicans and those who rely on the El Paso Airport that there is no national security threat and operations are expected to resume as normal at the El Paso Airport.

There are standard rules and procedures for how our airspace is controlled, including when the Department of Defense (DOD) is conducting any testing in our region. These procedures keep Americans safe and prevent disruption to civil airspace. This morning, the Administration decided to steamroll those policies and close a major city’s airspace without notifying state and local officials. That is unacceptable.

Medical evacuation flights had to be diverted, commercial air carriers were forced to cancel as many as half their flights for the day, and people were left stranded. The American people deserve better than the chaos and lack of transparency we keep seeing from this Administration.”

Through my conversations with federal and local officials, it has become abundantly clear the FAA was tracking the DOD’s counter drone tests for multiple days, and the FAA responded — in error — with the disproportionate response of abruptly closing our airspace for 10 days. The statements this Administration has put out about the situation are misleading at best and a coverup for their incompetence at worst.

Let’s be clear — the Administration has provided no proof of a drone incursion that would warrant this large scale, 10-day response. Our nation can prepare for these threats without causing chaos and inducing unwarranted fear.

El Paso mayor criticizes FAA over airspace shutdown; called it ‘unnecessary decision’

Sign up to receive the top interesting stories from in and around our community once daily in your inbox.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Here comes the two “love birds” – the low-pressure systems that could spark off showers and snow showers across the western U.S.

This has given us a cloudier and warmer start to Wednesday for most of New Mexico. In fact, the western half of the state woke up to temps 10-20 degrees above their climatological normal.

Showers are possible for some this afternoon and evening. The highest rain chances are across the Four Corners. Snow is possible but this will be limited to high elevations in the mountains of southwestern and south-central Colorado. This potential will begin around noon and increase through the day.

Rainfall amounts will be on the lower end, roughly 0.01-0.1″ – with locally higher totals up to a quarter of an inch. Albuquerque has a low chance – 10% chance at most – of a stray shower moving through the metro, any time after 5 p.m. 

If rain moves in earlier in the afternoon, this will help keep the Four Corners a bit cooler but still above average. We’ll still see a temperature spread of the 50s-70s across New Mexico.

Meteorologist Amanda Goluszka shares all the details in her full forecast in the video above.

MORE:

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The New Mexico School for the Blind and Visually Impaired is undergoing a $6 million upgrade to enhance accessibility for children in wheelchairs.

The expansion will include a new cafeteria, a safer bus loop, and a brand-new playground with a wheelchair ramp and inclusive merry-go-round. These improvements aim to make the school more like a traditional setting.

“We are truly excited about it because the expansion will allow us to meet our students’ needs better and prepare them so they can be more independent when they move on to the next school setting,” said Paul Kilman, principal of the Early Childhood Program.

The school’s early learning program is located in Albuquerque and serves preschool and kindergarten students. The program focuses on teaching social skills and foundational skills for kindergarten.

“By going to the playground with an inclusive playground, children can start playing with each other. And children are the best at— they don’t care about who you are or where you’re coming from, they just see you,” said Kilman.

The school aims to create independence for its students, helping them transition to public schools and succeed despite vision impairments.

The project is awaiting a final vote from Albuquerque’s Environmental Planning Commission. Construction is expected to begin by July 2026 and take about a year to complete.