The Federal Aviation Administration issued a sudden and unprecedented Notice to Airmen late Tuesday night, immediately halting all flights to and from El Paso, Texas, and parts of southern New Mexico for 10 days. The restriction, which took effect at 11:30 p.m. Mountain Time on February 10 and will remain in place until late February 20, covers El Paso International Airport and extends into airspace near Santa Teresa, New Mexico. The FAA classified the affected zone as "National Defense Airspace" and offered no public explanation for the extraordinary move, which grounds all commercial, cargo, and general aviation operations over the nation's 23rd-largest city.
The language in the NOTAM is strikingly severe. The FAA warned that pilots who violate the restriction "may be intercepted, detained and interviewed by law enforcement/security personnel," and added that the U.S. government "may use deadly force against the airborne aircraft if it is determined that the aircraft poses an imminent security threat." Sources familiar with the aviation industry told El Paso Matters that a closure of this magnitude over a major American city has not occurred since the September 11, 2001 terror attacks. Even military users were reportedly given no advance warning before the order went into effect.
El Paso sits directly on the U.S.-Mexico border and is home to Fort Bliss, one of the largest U.S. Army installations in the country. While authorities have not confirmed the specific reason behind the closure, its location on the southern border during an administration actively escalating immigration enforcement operations has fueled widespread speculation. The restriction notably does not extend into Mexican airspace, and the New Mexico coverage area stretches from the border north to the Organ Mountains-Desert Peak National Monument — a remote corridor frequently associated with cross-border activity.
El Paso International Airport, which served nearly 3.5 million passengers in the first 11 months of 2025, confirmed the grounding and said staff had reached out to the FAA for additional guidance. Major carriers including Southwest, Delta, United, and American Airlines all operate out of the airport and are expected to face massive disruptions. Travelers have been urged to contact their airlines directly for rebooking. As of this writing, no federal agency — including the FAA, the White House, the Pentagon, or the Texas Governor's office — has provided a public explanation for the closure, leaving over one million residents and the rest of the country waiting for answers.