Drones have been an integral national security tool for the United States for decades. They’re also the future of war, if the fighting in Ukraine is any guide. But we’re still writing the rules of the road for how they can, and should, be used.
Enter Rep. Jimmy Gomez. The California Democrat has introduced legislation to restrict the use of unmanned aerial vehicles after Customs and Border Protection reportedly deployed a pair of Predator surveillance drones over Los Angeles amid protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations.
We reached out to CBP to get their position on the bill, and they appeared to confirm drone usage in Los Angeles.
“CBP’s Air and Marine Operations (AMO) has provided both Manned and Unmanned aerial support to federal law enforcement partners conducting operations in the Greater Los Angeles area,” the agency said in an unsigned statement. “Both platforms provide an unparalleled ability with Electro-optical/infrared sensors and video downlink capabilities that provide situational awareness and communications support that enhance officer safety.”
An official, who asked for anonymity, elaborated: “CBP is not engaged in the surveillance of peaceful and lawful First Amendment activities.”
We reached out to Gomez. The following transcript of our conversation has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
What would your drone legislation do?
“It would ban the use of military drones to surveil civilians during protests, specifically around civil disobedience. This is specifically about military-grade UAVs, like the Reaper that was used in downtown LA.
“The reason why I was really appalled by it is that I’m on the House Intelligence Committee, and I know kind of what these drones are used for, how much they cost and why we use them for specific activities. To use these against civilians because they’re engaged in protest, I think, is completely unacceptable and leads down, I believe, a slippery slope for broader use of these drones across the United States.”
You’ve sort of alluded to this already, but what prompted you to introduce this?
“I just felt like this being used against Americans is completely unacceptable and appalling. It really sends the wrong message. We’re treating civilians as we would treat enemy combatants in some respects. And I think that just is, for me, a step too far on the use of these.
“Most people don’t focus on this part, but they are very expensive. We should be using those drones for what they should be used for: going after drug smuggling, going after cartels, patrolling the border. But using them on civilians is just not acceptable.”
What’s your understanding of how the drones were used in the LA protests?
“We looked into it. We haven’t received much information. There is reporting that they were used in the protests and were just surveilling the protesters and the people in downtown LA.
“But we haven’t received a confirmation of what they were actually used for. So the bill also requires the president to submit an annual report to Congress documenting unauthorized or novel drone use, including who was surveilled, why and how long, who approved it.”
The CBP tells me “CBP is not engaged in the surveillance of peaceful and lawful First Amendment activities.” Do you believe them?
“No. I think that I don’t believe them when it comes to the LA protests that people reported on.
“And I also have different sources that told me that they did use them.
“They’re trying to say that they weren’t around peaceful protesters, but that’s what they did, and we want to make sure that this doesn’t continue.”
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