U.S. used drones to monitor American protesters

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has confirmed that their MQ-9 drones were deployed to the protests in Los Angeles, at the request of the Department of Homeland Security headed by Secretary Kristi Noem under the Trump administration.

NEW: The CBP confirmed to @404media.co that it has been flying Predator drones over LA amid the protests. These Predator B drones are military-caliber UAVs used for aerial reconnaissance that can be armed.It further breaks the seal on federal involvement in civilian matters. More here:

— WIRED (@wired.com) 2025-06-13T16:02:09.649Z

CBP maintains that its drones are not used to directly monitor protesters in Los Angeles.

According to 404 Media, and as reported by Wired, the official justification put forward for deploying the drones is that they are used to “ensure officer safety when requested.”

These devices, designed for high-altitude surveillance, are generally reserved for military or border control missions.

Their use in a protest context raises serious concerns about the militarization of law enforcement and respect for the privacy of American citizens.

It should be remembered that although few details have been provided on the precise use of these drones in the context of the Los Angeles protests, the same devices had already been deployed during the demonstrations that followed the death of George Floyd.

Their use continues to draw criticism over the use of military surveillance technologies in the context of protests protected by the First Amendment, and reinforces calls for greater transparency over the use of these military drones for purposes of population control.