Official legislative records and announcements from Congress

Mayorkas Acknowledges Drone Sightings in New Jersey, Calls for Expanded Authority

Dec 15, 2024, 02:46 PM

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas addressed concerns about drone sightings in New Jersey, acknowledging that "there's no question that people are seeing drones." He stated that the federal government is "limited in our authorities" to take action against them, explaining that "we can't just shoot a drone out of the sky." Mayorkas suggested that the drones may be commercially available devices, noting that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) changed regulations 15 months ago to allow drones to fly at night, which could explain the increase in sightings. He assured the public that the federal government has deployed additional resources to assist the New Jersey State Police in addressing the situation but emphasized that there is "no evidence of foreign involvement" or national security threat associated with the drones. Mayorkas called on Congress to expand the government's authority to address such drone-related issues, highlighting the need for additional legislative support.