DHS pilots patrolling southern border have a new foe

Department of Homeland Security aircraft pilots patrolling the southern border and elsewhere in the United States have been repeatedly attacked with lasers in the past several months.

An AS-350 helicopter on patrol Feb. 19 near the border town of McAllen, Texas was struck three separate times with a laser that came from a vehicle on the Mexican riverbank, according to Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The incident was just the latest in six separate laser attacks against pilots assigned to Air and Marine Operations since October, forcing them to make evasive maneuvers while performing border security duties.

“Another recent case on Jan. 9, involved an AS-350 helicopter in Jacksonville, Florida, resulting in the arrest of one individual who is now facing felony state charges related to aiming a laser at the aircraft,” the CBP press release stated. “No pilots or crew were injured in these cases, and the laser sightings are being investigated.”

Laser beams aimed at aircrew can have incredibly dangerous outcomes, potentially causing midair collisions or other deadly incidents.

News of the laser attacks follow Congressional efforts to better protect Border Patrol agents by slapping harsher penalties against illegal migrants that put agents in danger.

The House of Representatives Thursday passed the Agent Raul Gonzalez Officer Safety Act, legislation that mandates criminal penalties and immigration consequences for illegal migrants that attempt to flee Border Patrol agents via a motorized vehicle. The bill, which was named after a Border Patrol agent who died in an ATV crash attempting to chase fleeing migrants, attracted bipartisan support and has a companion bill in the Senate.

On his first day back in the White House, President Donald Trump signed an executive order declaring a national emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border, a maneuver allowing him to deploy members of the National Guard and Armed Forces to the area. The soldiers are assigned to help stop the flow of illegal immigration into the country and help CBP personnel in their mission.

Border Patrol agents, much like other law enforcement officials, do not work in the safest of occupations in the country. From 2003 to 2023, a total of 58 agents died while on duty, according to a CATO study. Following homicides, vehicle accidents were the second-highest cause of death for agents, making up 20% of all Border Patrol fatalities.

Border Patrol agent David Maland was shot and killed at a traffic stop near the Vermont-Canada border in January, making him the most recent agent to be killed in the line of duty. Authorities now believe his killer has ties to a mysterious cult-like group that is linked to other murders across the country.

While owning a handheld laser is not illegal, shining it onto a pilot is a federal crime, CBP stated Tuesday. Anyone convicted of interference with an aircraft can face a $250,000 fine and up to two decades in prison.

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