FAA temporarily shuts down El Paso airspace

OUR REPORTING REVEALS DEEP DIVISION BETWEEN THE FAA AND THE. THE FAA AND THE PENTAGON WITH WIDELY DIFFERENT EXPLPLANATIONS. DIFFERENT EXPLANATIONS FOR WHAT HAPPENED. HERE IS TOM COSTELLO. FOR WHAT HAPPENED. HERE IS TOM COSTELLO. >> Reporter: THE. HERE IS TOM COSTELLO. >> R Reporter: THE QUESTION TONIGHT DID. >> Reporter: T THE QUESTION TONIGHT DID THE FAA CLOSE EL. QUESTION TONIGHT DID THE FAFAA CLOSE EL PASO'S AIRSPACE DUE TO. THE FAA CLOSE EL PASO'S AIRSPACE DUE TO MEXIXICAN DRUG CARTEL. PASO'S AIRSPACE DUE TO MEXICACAN DRUG CARTEL DRONES OR BECAUSE THE. MEXICACAN DRUG CARTEL DRONES OR BECAUSE THE FAA WAS WORRIED ABOUT. DRONES OR BECAUSE THE FAA WAS WORRIED ABOUT NEW ANTI-DRONE LASERS. FAA WAS WORRIED ABOUT NEW ANTI-DRONE LASERS BEING TESTSTED NEAR THE. NEW ANTI-DRONENE LASERS BEING TESTED NEAR THE AIRPORT? BEING TESTED NEAR THE AIRPORT? THE FAA'S NOTICE TO. AIRPORT? THE FAA'S NOTICE TO AIRMEN SAID EL PASO.

THE FAA'S NOTICE TO AIRMEN SAID EL PASO HAD D BEEN DESIGNATED. AIRMEN SAID EL PASO HAD BEEN DESIGNATED NATIONAL DEFENSE. HAD BEEN DESIGNATED NATIONAL DEFENENSE AIRSPACE, AND THE. NATIONAL DEFENSE AIAIRSPACE, AND THE GOVERNMENT MAY USE. AIRSPACE, AND THE GOVERNMEMENT MAY USE DEADLY FORCE AGAINST. GOVERNMENT MAY USE DEADLY FORCE AGAINST AIRBORNE AIRCRAFT THAT. DEADLY FORCE AGAINST AIRBORNE AIRIRCRAFT THAT DON'T ADHERE TO THE. AIRBORNE AIRCRAFT THTHAT DON'T ADHERE TO THE ORDER. ORDER. CONGRESSIONAL, MILITARY AND A AVIATION. MILITARY AND AVIATION SOURCES SAY THE AIRSPACE WAS CLOSED. SOURCES SAY THE AIRSPACE WAS CLOSED BECAUSE OF A D DISPUTE. BECAUSE OF A DISPUTE BETWEEN THE FAA AND THE MILITARY. BETWEEN THE FAA AND THE MILITARY. AS THE GOVERNMENT. THE MILITARY. AS THE GOVERNMENT TESTS NEW LASESER. AS THE GOVERNMENT TESTS NEW LASER TECHNOLOGY TO TARGET. TESTS NEW LASER TECHNOLOGY TO TARGET CARTEL DRONES AT FORT. TECHNOLOGY TO TARGET CARTEL DRONES AT FORT BLISS ARMY BASE. CARTEL DRONES AT FORT BLISS ARMY BASE. MEDICAL EVAC FLIGHTS. BLISS ARMY BASE. MEDICAL EVAC FLIGHTS REROUTED TO NEW. REROUTED TO NEW MEXICO. AIRLINE PASSENGERS.

MEXICO. AIRLINE PASSENGERS GROUNDED. GROUNDED. >> MAKES YOU WONDER WHAT COULD BE. >> MAKES YOU WONDER WHATAT COULD BE HAPPENING. EW. HAPPENING. >> Reporter:r: A FEW HOURS LATER, THE FAA. >> Reporter: A FEW HOURS LATER, THE FAA REOPENED THE AIRSPACE. REOPENED THE AIRSPACE AND ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS SAYIYING. AND ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS SAYING MEXICAN CARTEL DRONES. MEXICAN CARTEL DRONES BREACHED U.S. AIRSPACE. BREACHED U.S. AIRSPAPACE. THE DEPARTMENT OF WAR. AIAIRSPACE. THE DEPARTMENT OF WAR TOOK ACTION TO DISABLE. THE DEPARTMENT OF WAR TOOK ACTION TO D DISABLE THE DRONES. TOOK ACTION TO DISABLE THE DRONES. FROM D.O.T. SECRETARY. THE DRONES. FROM D.O.T. SECRETARY DUFFY, THE THREAT IS. FROM D.O.T. SECRETARY DUFFY, THE THREAT IS NEUTRALIZED. DUFFY, THE THREAT IS NEUTRALIZED. THERE IS NO DANGER TO. THERE IS NO DANGER TO COMMERCIAL TRAVEL IN THE REGIGION. COMMERCIAL TRARAVEL IN THE REGION. SITTING ON BORDER, EL. THE REGION. SITTING ON BORDER, EL PASO'S A AIRPORT SERVES. SITTING ON BORDER, EL PASO'S AIRPORT SERVES TEXAS S AND NEW MEXICO. PASO'S AIRPORT SERVES S TEXAS AND NEW MEXICO WITH 100 FLIGHTS A. WITH 100 FLIGHTS A DAY. >> DECISIONSNS MADE. DAY. >> DECISIONS MADE WITHOUT NOTICE OR.

>> DECISIONS MADE WITHOUT NOTICE OR COORDINATION P PUTS. WITHOUT NOTICE OR COORDINATION P PUTS LIVES AT RISK AND. COORDINATION PUTS LIVES AT RISK AND CREATES UNNECESSARY. LIVES AT RISK AND CREATES UNNECESSARY DANGER AND CONFUSION. CREATES UNNECESSARY DANGER AND CONFUSION. >> Reporter: THE FAA. DANGER AND CONFUSION. >> Reporter: THEHE FAA HASN'T MOVED TO CLOSE. >> Reporter: THE FAA HASN'T MOVED TO CLOSE AIAIRSPACE FOR DAYS ON. HASN'T MOVED TO CLOSE AIRSPACE FOR DAYS S ON END SINCE 9/11. AIRSPACE FOR DAYS ON END SINCE 9/11. GOVERNMENT AGENCIES.