Minneapolis, Minnesota — Federal aviation officials have quietly expanded the use of drone flight restrictions to include Department of Homeland Security facilities and mobile operations, a move that could significantly limit the ability of journalists, activists, and the public to document immigration enforcement actions.
The Federal Aviation Administration has issued a new temporary flight restriction establishing a drone no-fly zone within 3,000 feet horizontally and up to 1,000 feet in altitude around DHS facilities, vessels, and ground vehicle convoys. According to the FAA notice, these zones are now classified as “national defense airspace,” placing them in the same category as military bases and Department of Energy research sites.
Unlike previous restrictions, which applied only to fixed locations, the updated order extends protections to mobile DHS assets, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement vehicles operating nationwide. Violators could face criminal charges, civil penalties, and the permanent loss of authorization to operate drones. The notice also authorizes mitigation measures, including interception, seizure, or destruction of drones deemed a security threat.
The policy shift arrives as consumer drones have increasingly been used to record law enforcement activity, including ICE arrests and crowd-control operations. Critics argue the rule effectively criminalizes aerial documentation of federal agents, while DHS has offered no public explanation for the change.
The agency’s own surveillance practices have drawn scrutiny in the past. Federal drones were previously detected monitoring protests in Minneapolis following the police killing of George Floyd and later at anti-ICE demonstrations in Los Angeles. DHS and the FAA have not publicly commented on what prompted the latest restriction.
Sources:
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Federal Aviation Administration – Unrated
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