Air Force Gen. Gregory M. Guillot, the commander of U.S. Northern Command and North American Aerospace Defense Command, voiced his concerns Thursday about the increasing number of unauthorized drone incursions along the U.S.-Mexico border. Gen. Guillot said these incursions could reach as high as 1,000 per month, a statistic he deemed “alarming.”
Gen. Guillot asserted at a Senate hearing that the estimated incursions run well into the thousands despite not having exact figures. Border patrol agents have subsequently confirmed this estimate on the ground.
Ever since assuming his new position in February, Gen. Guillot has prioritized addressing the issue of unauthorized drone activities along the southern border. He said the need for urgency is underscored by further assessments from U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials that suggest these drones may be instrumental tools for cartels. Mexican cartels have reportedly used drones to evade law enforcement by tracking their positions, thereby enabling more efficient smuggling of people and drugs across the border.
The rising prevalence of such incursions demonstrates a complex challenge for U.S. border and airspace security, demanding undivided attention from all relevant agencies. Gen. Guillot said the cartels’ use of drones serves to highlight the evolution and complexity of illicit activities across the border while underscoring. He told senators the U.S. would need to develop new and creative strategies to tackle the technological threat posed by cartel drones.