The only formal, publicly available federal guidance concerning Santa Teresa is the FAA Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) FDC 6/2234 has been removed from the FAA website.
Source: Federal Aviation Administration
Image: Courtesy
An evening check of the FAA website revealed the “Notice to Air Missions” (NOTAM) for the Santa Teresa Jetport has been removed. There is no other indication of a continuing ‘Temporary Flight Restriction’ for this location.
Original Post
The Doña Ana County International Jetport in Santa Teresa — a publicly owned general aviation airport operated by Doña Ana County — remains under a federal Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), even after similar restrictions affecting El Paso International Airport were lifted.
The Santa Teresa Jetport (KDNA) is not a commercial airline hub. It primarily supports general aviation, private and corporate aircraft, aviation services, and the War Eagles Air Museum. The facility plays a significant role in the region’s aviation economy but does not host scheduled commercial passenger service.
El Paso Closure: Announced, Then Reversed
Late February 10, the FAA issued a 10-day airspace restriction covering El Paso International Airport and surrounding airspace, including portions of southern New Mexico. The restriction cited “special security reasons” and classified the affected airspace as “national defense airspace.”
Limited public information provided through official Twitter/X accounts.
Within hours, however, the FAA lifted the restriction affecting El Paso International Airport. Flights into and out of El Paso resumed. Public explanation from federal authorities has been limited, and reporting from multiple outlets reflects ongoing uncertainty regarding the reason for the initial closure and its rapid reversal.
Coverage exploring the El Paso incident includes:
- New York Times: “Officials Claim Drone Incursion Led to Shutdown of El Paso Airport“
- Forbes: “FAA’s El Paso Flip-Flop Has Aviation Experts Scratching Their Heads“
- KRWG Public Media: “El Paso airspace closure due to use of U.S. military anti-drone technology“
Those reports describe conflicting accounts, limited federal explanation, and questions from local and federal officials regarding the justification for the original action.
What the FAA Has Officially Issued for Santa Teresa
As of this publication, the only formal, publicly available federal guidance concerning Santa Teresa is the FAA Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) FDC 6/2234.
According to the FAA notice:
- The airspace over Santa Teresa is classified as “National Defense Airspace.”
- The restriction is in effect from 11:30 p.m. local time February 10, 2026, through 11:30 p.m. local time February 20, 2026.
- All aircraft flight operations are prohibited within the defined geographic coordinates from the surface up to 17,999 feet mean sea level.
- Pilots who fail to comply may be intercepted, detained, and subject to administrative penalties, certificate suspension or revocation, civil penalties, criminal charges, and — in language included in the notice — the possible use of deadly force if an aircraft is determined to pose an imminent security threat.
The FAA cites authority under 49 U.S.C. § 40103(b)(3) and 14 CFR § 99.7 in issuing the restriction. The System Operations Support Center (SOSC) in Washington, D.C., is listed as the federal point of contact.
The NOTAM does not provide a narrative explanation for why the restriction was imposed.
No Further Official Information
Las Cruces Digest has found no additional formal FAA statements modifying or rescinding the Santa Teresa restriction.
Despite social media commentary suggesting the matter has been fully resolved following the reopening of El Paso International Airport, the Santa Teresa NOTAM remains the only official federal guidance publicly available at this time.
Las Cruces Digest will update this report if additional verified information becomes available.
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