Posted on 09/17/2021 7:21:17 AM PDT by UMCRevMom@aol.com
Drones that captured images and videos of thousands of illegal immigrants under a bridge in Del Rio, Texas, were grounded late Thursday by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Fox News national correspondent Bill Melugin told Tucker Carlson on Thursday night that he found the timing and location of the FAA’s two-week flight restriction in the area “a little bit curious.”
“I just want to point out, Fox News has been at the border for the better part of seven months now,” Melugin said. “We’ve been using the drone the entire time. It’s never been an issue. All of a sudden, the last 24 hours, we start showing these images at this bridge and a TFR goes up. We can no longer fly.”
The FAA told the outlet the “temporary flight restriction” (TFR) over the Del Rio Port of Entry and the International Bridge was put in place for “special security reasons.”
“The Border Patrol requested the temporary flight restriction due to drones interfering with law enforcement flights on the border,” the FAA said in a statement. “As with any temporary flight restriction, media is able to call the FAA to make requests to operate in the area.”
NEW: We’ve learned that the FAA just implemented a two week TFR (Temporary Flight Restrictions) over the international bridge in Del Rio, TX, meaning we can no longer fly our FOX drone over it to show images of the thousands of migrants. FAA says “special security reason”. pic.twitter.com/aJrjAPO2Pz — Bill Melugin (@BillFOXLA) September 17, 2021
Congressman Andy Biggs (R-AZ) made the following statement condemning the FAA’s action to restrict drone access over the worsening illegal alien encampment at the Del Rio bridge:
“We know what they’re doing and they are not getting away with it,” said Biggs. “Restricting and blocking the media’s drones over the Del Rio bridge proves that the Administration is fully aware of the crisis they have created. This refusal to be transparent is yet another way the Biden Administration is trying to twist the true narrative of what is happening at the border. With or without media access, we will not stop working to expose the truth about this humanitarian and national security crisis.”
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), at the scene, slammed the “ridiculous” restriction, adding he’s “never seen anything like” the 10,500-plus group of illegals packed under the bridge.
10,503 illegal aliens are under this bridge tonight because Joe Biden made a political decision to cancel deportation flights to Haiti.
The Border Patrol is overcapacity. It’s indefensible, it’s inhuman, and it was entirely caused by Biden & Harris. #BidenBorderCrisis pic.twitter.com/LmWV52nmJc — Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) September 17, 2021
“The drone footage started this morning, and people across the country were horrified, and I guess the political operatives at the Biden White House saw that and decided the last thing they want is Fox News actually reporting on what’s happening down here,” he said.
On Thursday, Cruz told the Todd Starnes Show there were thousands of Haitians feeling the disaster-torn country, adding that many of them were COVID-positive.
Migrant encounters over 200,000 again in August, as border surge continues
The 208,887 migrant encounters mark a 317% increase over last August
FAA grounds Fox News drones near where thousands of migrants are sheltering under a bridge
https://nypost.com/2021/09/17/faa-grounds-fox-news-drones-in-texas-near-sheltering-migrants/
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/migrant-encounters-august-border-surge-continues
“... Bans Media From Flying Drones Over Border...”
W H Y????????????????????????
Anonymous sources????
Time magazine should make anonymous sources man of the year. Every time an agenda is being pushed he rears his head with all the answers. He’s like the new Clark Kent.
"10th Amendment: The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."
”From the accepted doctrine that the United States is a government of delegated powers, it follows that those not expressly granted, or reasonably to be implied from such as are conferred, are reserved to the states, or to the people. To forestall any suggestion to the contrary, the Tenth Amendment was adopted. The same proposition, otherwise stated, is that powers not granted are prohibited [emphasis added].” —United States v. Butler, 1936.
Also, if the states should ever expressly constitutionally give the feds the specific power to regulate peacetime aircraft and drones, regulations need to be made by elected members of Congress, not non-elected bureaucrats that voters cannot vote out of office, bureaucrats effectively weakening voting power.
Insights welcome.
If I were Fox, I would ignore the FAA. Who’s going to stop them? The ‘Drone Police’, LOL?
OK so we know that there is 8000 and probably another 3000 by the end of today of Haitians... They are not wanted they do not mix well along with the Afghanistan so what are we gonna do? We complain we watch the massive disastrous influx of immigrants and there ain’t crap we can do about it. They continue to come and we continue to let them all the way inside our country to settle And change our way of life. I don’t see our government shipping them back where they belong. I’m sick to my stomach over this and there ain’t CHIT we can do about it. They are here to stay and make our lives miserable. They add nothing to Society absolutely nothing they Only take ! Be ready to see all sorts of crap on tbe streets by these Folks. Oh that I would be a multi millionaire I would send them to Martha’s Vineyard to the high end of our country where the rich and famous live.
Serfs are not permitted to look at the truth.
Does the FAA have jurisdiction over anything in the air at ANY altitude? Twenty feet off the ground? Twenty? Just asking.
Whats the ceiling reg for flying these things.
Can not Fox or who ever just keep them at like 20 30 feet and film away.
No dif than fling a kite
So why can’t privateers do the drone flying and sell the video to the media?
that’s why they make telephoto lenses...
I used to live in Del Rio. I am glad I am not there anymore. 😀
Border crisis: 233% increase in fentanyl seizures at southern border
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/border-crisis-mexico-southern-border-fentanyl-mccarthy
10,000 migrants held under bridge in Texas
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLSft0n6RAQ
US border crisis coverage drops off while Biden Administration ‘loses control’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgIZTGp8a6o
Drone footage shows thousands of migrants under bridge in Del Rio, Texas as local facilities overwhelmed
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/drone-footage-thousands-migrants-bridge-del-rio
Another chicken shirt move by the Democrats.
The Democrats are really laying some eggs.
I would say that the FAA is very solidly within the founders intent of the interstate commerce clause and not an abuse of that clause as is normal.
And I say that as no friend of the FAA.
And though I have zero doubt that this was simply because they don’t like the photos coming out, the FAA will argue that this TFR is because it is a bit over a mile laterally from the 1 mile short final approach to Del Rio International Airport.
We all know why they did it. But that is how the FAA will defend it. Probably successfully.
The answer is very light drones, weighing little enough to fall below just the FAA regulatory threshold. There are plenty of those options.
Now why would a government agency ban a news service from covering a scene that embarrasses the executive branch?
So go to the Mexican side of the border and fly them from there.
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