Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas downplayed the recent wave of drone sightings in the tri-state area and emphatically argued the feds can’t just “shoot” them down amid calls by some lawmakers to do just that.
Mayorkas, appearing on CNN Friday night, insisted many people are simply seeing drones that can be purchased at “convenience stores” and most instances are “cases of mistaken identity.”
The Homeland honcho told CNN host Wolf Blizter that his agency has seen no evidence of anomalous activity.
“We haven’t seen anything unusual,” Mayorkas said. “We know of no threat. We believe that there are cases of mistaken identity where “drones” are actually small aircraft — that people are misidentifying them,” he said.
“There very well may be drones in the sky, of course, but those are commercially available. One can go into a convenience store and buy a small drone,” Mayorkas claimed, adding, “But we know of no threat or nefarious activity.”
Blitzer asked Mayorkas why the Department of Homeland Security had not taken the initiative to take down drones that were breaking the law.
“We can’t shoot a drone out of the sky,” the secretary said, exasperated.
“Our authorities are limited by the United States Coast Guard in the maritime environment, the United States Secret Service in its protection of our national leaders, US Customs and Border Protection with respect to the border,” Mayorkas said, enumerating the rolls of red tape DHS needs to navigate before engagement.
A drone spotted flying over New Jersey’s Morris and Somerset counties earlier in December. @MendhamMike via Storyful
The secretary further warned of civilians attempting to down the seemingly unfriendly flyers.
“It’s not as though anyone can take down a drone in the sky,” he said. “That in and of itself would be dangerous.”
Mayorkas also took the opportunity to argue for Congress to lift restrictions on how the Department of Homeland Security counters drone activity.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas at the White House. NurPhoto via Getty Images
“We have also asked for more authority to give to the state and local officials, under our supervision, because it correctly notes those authorities need to be expanded,” Mayorkas said.
Mayorkas appeared on CNN after President-elect Donald Trump called for the drones to be shot down if the federal government isn’t actually privy to their origins.
“Mystery Drone sightings all over the Country. Can this really be happening without our government’s knowledge. I don’t think so!,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
A map of the reported drone sightings in Monmouth County, NJ. Facebook/Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office
“Let the public know, and now. Otherwise, shoot them down!!!,” he said.
Several Republican lawmakers, including Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.), Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ) have also called on the military to shoot down the drones.
