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El Paso Lawmaker Calls Airport Shutdown ‘Unprecedented’
The FAA announced it would shut down the El Paso airport and surrounding airspace for 10 days, with limited explanation.
February 11, 2026
Rep. Veronica Escobar, a Democrat who represents El Paso, Texas, said the Federal Aviation Administration’s sudden implementation of a 10-day shutdown of the area’s airspace is “unprecedented.”
“The highly consequential decision by FAA to shut down the El Paso Airport for 10 days is unprecedented and has resulted in significant concern within the community,” her statement to NOTUS said. “From what my office and I have been able to gather overnight and early this morning there is no immediate threat to the community or surrounding areas.”
She added: “There was no advance notice provided to my office, the City of El Paso, or anyone involved in airport operations.
The comment from Escobar comes after the FAA advised late Tuesday night that it would immediately shut down air travel in the El Paso region for 10 days. The brief FAA advisory cites “special security reasons” for the closure. The advisory limits travel up to 17,999 feet above sea level.
The El Paso International Airport sits on the U.S.-Mexico border.