The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) abruptly shut down the airspace over El Paso, Texas, for ten days late Tuesday, a move that surprised local officials, disrupted travelers, and raised concerns. The restrictions, which encompassed a 10-mile area around El Paso International Airport, were lifted less than eight hours later, but the reasons behind the shutdown remain unclear, according to a report from the New York Times.
The FAA's order, issued at 11:30 p.m. local time, halted all flights to and from the airport. While Trump administration officials suggested Mexican cartel drones had breached U.S. airspace, others disputed this explanation, the NY Times reported. The sudden nature of the decision and the lack of prior warning fueled confusion and speculation.
In other news, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard ended the work of a task force aimed at reforming the U.S. intelligence community after less than a year, according to Fox News. The task force, established in April, was tasked with addressing the politicization of intelligence gathering and exploring ways to reduce spending.
Also, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) improperly shared the confidential taxpayer information of thousands of people with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), according to a new court filing reported by Fox News. This data sharing was part of an agreement between the Treasury Department, the IRS, and DHS to share immigrant data.
In a separate development, a federal judge in Louisiana released four illegal immigrants with lengthy criminal records, including convictions for murder and child sex crimes, from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody earlier this month, Fox News reported. Judge John deGravelles, an Obama appointee, granted the defendants release. The Department of Homeland Security expressed concern about the ramifications of the decision.
Additionally, residents of New York City's Upper East Side protested a planned homeless shelter at a public meeting, expressing outrage over its proximity to schools and daycare centers, Fox News reported. The shelter, which will accommodate up to 250 women, was converted from a men's center after public pushback. Residents accused city officials of rushing the process.
Finally, ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons stated that body camera footage from ICE operations in Minnesota would be released to the public, emphasizing a commitment to transparency, according to Fox News. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said body cameras "can be very helpful in making sure that people know the truth."
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