FAA Limits Drones Over DHS Assets, Igniting Civil Liberties Concerns

News media coalition calls restriction the ‘most sweeping prohibition’ on UAS activity in U.S. history.

Jack Daleo

Friday, January 30, 2026 at 03:00 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

Temporary flight restriction (TFR) prohibits drones from flying within 1,000 feet vertically and 3,000 feet laterally of Department of Homeland Security ‘mobile assets.’ [Credit: iStock]

Key Takeaways:

A new FAA Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) broadly prohibiting drones near Department of Homeland Security (DHS) "mobile assets" is sparking alarm among news organizations, the ACLU, and former FAA officials.
The TFR is criticized for its unprecedented scope and ambiguity, creating "roving, invisible" no-fly zones that are nearly impossible for drone operators, including those involved in newsgathering, to identify and comply with.
Critics argue the restriction violates First and Fifth Amendment rights, potentially hindering reporting on events like ICE raids and impacting various commercial and public safety drone operations.
The legality of the TFR is expected to face challenges, particularly if its implementation is perceived as selectively targeting specific drone activities.

See a mistake? Contact us.

News organizations, advocacy groups including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), and even former FAA officials are sounding the alarm on what could be the “most sweeping prohibition on UAS [uncrewed aircraft system] activity across the United States ever imposed.”

That is how the News Media Coalition—which includes the Electronic Frontier Foundation, Getty Images, National Press Photographers Association, and publishers of major newspapers such as the New York Times and Washington Post—described an FAA temporary flight restriction (TFR) that penalizes the operation of drones, including those used for newsgathering, near Department of Homeland Security (DHS) “mobile assets.”