Feds Have Limited Authority to Shoot Down Drones Seen Over New Jersey, Mayorkas Says

The Homeland Security secretary gave an extensive interview on Sunday about the rash of recent sightings.
Feds Have Limited Authority to Shoot Down Drones Seen Over New Jersey, Mayorkas Says
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas speaks during a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs committee hearing on the department's budget request on Capitol Hill in Washington on April 18, 2024. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
Jack Phillips
Jack Phillips
Breaking News Reporter
|Updated:
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The Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Alejandro Mayorkas, provided an update Sunday on a rash of apparent drone sightings in the New Jersey region, saying the federal government will take action to address concerns but signaled that officials don’t have the authority to shoot them down.

Over the past several weeks, residents and local officials have reported drones flying over New Jersey, drawing intense speculation and scrutiny in the past week. Some federal lawmakers have called on the drones to be shot down or captured, while federal officials have not disclosed the source of the unmanned aerial vehicles.

Jack Phillips
Jack Phillips
Breaking News Reporter
Jack Phillips is a breaking news reporter who covers a range of topics, including politics, U.S., and health news. A father of two, Jack grew up in California's Central Valley. Follow him on X: https://twitter.com/jackphillips5
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