In an unexpected move, the Biden-Harris administration's Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has imposed "temporary flight restrictions" on drone flights in various parts of New Jersey.
This decision comes in the wake of escalating concerns over a surge in drone sightings in recent weeks.
According to NBC 10, the FAA stated, At the request of federal security partners, the FAA published 22 Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs) prohibiting drone flights over critical New Jersey infrastructure. The areas affected by these restrictions include Burlington, Hamilton, Winslow, Gloucester City, Camden, and Evesham. As reported by Fox News, these temporary flight restrictions are set to expire on January 17. However, the FAA's restrictions do not extend to drones operated by the Department of Homeland Security, law enforcement agencies, firefighting agencies, national defense operations, search and rescue operations, and disaster response operations.
A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, in a statement obtained by ABC News, assured the public, We continue to assess there is no public safety threat relating to the reported drone sightings. The spokesperson further explained, In coordination with the FAA and our critical infrastructure partners who requested temporary flight restrictions over their facilities, out of an abundance of caution, the FAA has issued temporary flight restrictions over some critical infrastructure facilities in New Jersey.
The surge in drone sightings and the Biden-Harris administration's response, or lack thereof, has sparked frustration among some lawmakers. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) expressed his discontent to Fox News, stating, Look, Im the speaker of the House. I have the exact same frustrations that you do and all of us do. We dont have the answers. The administration is not providing them. Johnson also revealed that he had recently convened a meeting with officials from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Department of Defense, and the Department of Homeland Security, but lamented, The answers are not forthcoming.
American Military News reported that officials from the Biden-Harris administration held a call on Saturday to discuss the mysterious drone sightings nationwide. The meeting included officials from the National Security Council, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Defense, the FBI, and the FAA. An FBI official acknowledged during the call that the agency had received 5,000 tips related to drone reports in recent weeks. However, the official claimed that fewer than 100 of these tips warranted further investigation.
The FBI official stated, Were doing our best to find the origin of that specific those drone activities, but also suggested, But I think there has been a slight overreaction. This statement raises questions about the administration's handling of the situation and the lack of transparency, leaving the public and lawmakers alike in a state of uncertainty.
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