Mayorkas Claims Americans Have Nothing To Worry About Over Drone Sightings

Embattled Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, who became only the second cabinet official in U.S. history to ever be impeached over his disastrous handling of the border crisis, claimed during an interview over the weekend that Americans had nothing to worry about when it came to recent reports of drones flying at night.

Mayorkas made the comments during a Sunday interview on ABC News’ “This Week” with George Stephanopoulos when asked about recent drone sightings at night on the East Coast, in particular New Jersey.

“There’s no question that people are seeing drones,” he said. “And I want to assure the American public that we, in the federal government, have deployed additional resources, personnel, technology, to assist the New Jersey State Police in addressing the drone sightings.”

“Some of those drone sightings are, in fact, drones,” he added. “Some are manned aircraft that are commonly mistaken for drones. And we do see duplicative reporting. But there’s no question that drones are being sighted.”

He said that part of the reason that this is happening is because the Federal Aviation Administration changed rules around flying drones late last year allowing them to be flown at night.

CHECK OUT THE DAILY WIRE HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

He said that Congress needs to expand the abilities of state and local law enforcement agencies so they can “have the ability to counter drone activity under federal supervision.”

“There’s no question that drones are being sighted…There are thousands of drones flown every day in the United States — recreational drones, commercial drones.”

DHS Sec. Alejandro Mayorkas responds to numerous aerial sightings reported across East Coast. https://t.co/VM1aZSe1W6 pic.twitter.com/7v5CSSjzbe

— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) December 15, 2024

When responding to President-elect Donald Trump’s calls to shoot the drones down, Mayorkas said that Congress needs to expand law enforcement’s ability to “incapacitate those drones.”

“We are limited in our authorities,” he said. “We have certain agencies within the Department of Homeland Security that can do that, and outside our department, but we need those authorities expanded as well.”

After President-elect Trump suggests shooting down suspected drones reported on the East Coast, DHS Sec. Alejandro Mayorkas tells @GStephanopoulos, “We are limited in our authorities.”

“We need those authorities expanded.” https://t.co/v1QBuzcCv3 pic.twitter.com/b7vc4qnZF4

— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) December 15, 2024

He claimed that the Biden administration has seen “no foreign involvement with respect to the sightings in the northeast. And we are vigilant in investigating this matter, the Department of Homeland Security, with the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the lead.”

“We’ve deployed personnel, technology, and if there is any reason for concern, if we identify any foreign involvement or criminal activity, we will communicate with the American public accordingly,” he claimed. “Right now, we are not aware of any. If we become aware of any, we will communicate accordingly and take appropriate action.”

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas tells @GStephanopoulos that his agency knows “of no foreign involvement with respect to the sightings in the Northeast” of aerial drones.

“We are vigilant in investigating this matter.” https://t.co/EyuPQmaS8n pic.twitter.com/KiLQoU8pgU

— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) December 15, 2024