Mayorkas on Drones: ‘We are Limited in Our Authorities’

Those are the words from DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas in an interview over the weekend as he dismissed the recent surge of drone reports in NJ.

Transcript

00:00We are limited in our authorities.

00:03Those are the words from Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas

00:07in an interview over the weekend.

00:09As he largely dismissed the recent surge of drone sightings in New Jersey,

00:14he tried to assure the public that additional resources have been deployed

00:18to assist state authorities in investigating the reports,

00:21but emphasized that some sightings could be misidentified aircraft.

00:26Mayorkas also mentioned that the FAA's September 2023 policy change

00:31allowing nighttime drone flights may explain the increased sightings.

00:36Despite concerns from residents, including former Governor Chris Christie,

00:40there is no evidence of foreign involvement in these incidents.