Predator Drones Over LA: What Are They Really Watching?
An MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicle flies a combat mission over southern Afghanistan, 2008. Photo courtesy of Lt. Col. Leslie Pratt. Public domain.
Predator drones, once synonymous with border patrol and overseas military missions, have taken on a new role over Los Angeles, signaling a shift from traditional border surveillance to monitoring domestic protests. Operated by Customs and Border Protection's (CBP) Air and Marine Operations (AMO) unit, the MQ-9 Predator B drones have been flying over protests triggered by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids, providing aerial support and situational awareness in a domestic law enforcement context.
From Border Watchdogs to Urban Overwatch
The MQ-9 Predator B drone — commonly known as the Reaper — was developed for military reconnaissance and strikes in conflict zones. CBP operates an unarmed variant for surveillance. Since 2005, these drones have been a key asset in monitoring the U.S.-Mexico border, tracking drug traffickers and unauthorized crossings along the 2,000-mile frontier. Equipped with high-definition electro-optical and infrared sensors, the drones can capture detailed video and track multiple targets within a 15-nautical-mile radius.
However, recent flight data and communications intercepted by aviation enthusiasts revealed that at least one MQ-9 drone conducted surveillance flights over downtown Los Angeles during protests against ICE enforcement actions. According to Wired, CBP confirmed these flights, stating that AMO was providing aerial support to federal law enforcement partners in the Greater Los Angeles area, focusing on situational awareness and officer safety.
This deployment marks a clear shift in the use of Predator drones — from border patrol to urban protest surveillance — raising questions about the expanding domestic role of military-grade technology.
Surveillance or Support? The Official Line
CBP insists that the drones are not engaged in monitoring First Amendment-protected activities such as protests or demonstrations, as reported by Wired. The agency emphasized that the drones' role is to enhance officer safety and provide situational awareness during federal law enforcement operations. This stance aligns with a 2015 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) commitment that unmanned aircraft system data should not be collected or retained solely for monitoring constitutionally protected activities.
Yet, DHS posted dramatic drone footage on social media labeled as "DHS drone footage," showing scenes of vehicles on fire and confrontations between protesters and law enforcement, as reported by NBC Los Angeles. The captions warned that the situation was neither calm nor peaceful, urging California politicians to "call off their rioting mob," a phrase directly quoted from the DHS social media post. The intensity of the imagery and messaging suggests a surveillance operation that extends beyond mere support, fueling debate about the drones' actual use.
Civil Liberties and Constitutional Questions
The shift from border patrol to protest surveillance has drawn scrutiny from privacy experts and civil liberties advocates. The use of Predator drones — originally designed for war zones and border enforcement — to monitor domestic protests raises concerns about the potential erosion of constitutional protections, especially the rights to free speech and assembly.
Matthew Feeney, an emerging technologies researcher, noted that while military equipment has long been used in domestic law enforcement, flying Predator drones over Los Angeles amid protests — especially when federal troops are deployed against the wishes of the state governor — is a significant development, as reported by Wired. Dave Maass, director of investigations at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, explained that military technology is often tested in war zones and along the border before being deployed in interior U.S. cities, indicating a trajectory toward increased domestic surveillance, as reported by the Los Angeles Times.
Political and Public Responses
The deployment of Predator drones over protests has elicited criticism from lawmakers and civil rights groups. Five Democrats on the House Oversight Committee described the deployment as a "gross abuse of authority" and requested explanations from Homeland Security, as reported by the Los Angeles Times. In response, Rep. Jimmy Gomez introduced legislation aimed at banning military surveillance drones over U.S. cities, arguing that these weapons of war should not be used against civilians exercising their constitutional rights.
The Los Angeles City Council unanimously passed a resolution endorsing Gomez's bill, with council members condemning the use of drones to spy on peaceful protesters as unconstitutional and dangerous. The optics of federal agencies posting drone footage with inflammatory captions have intensified public debate over the appropriate use of such surveillance tools.
Transparency and Oversight Challenges
A key issue surrounding the use of Predator drones over protests is the lack of transparency. While CBP and DHS provide general statements about the drones' purpose, detailed information about the scope of surveillance, data retention policies, and oversight mechanisms remains limited. The public is left to interpret dramatic drone footage and official statements without clear answers about how these powerful tools are being used and regulated.
The drones' ability to zoom in on individuals and track movements over a wide area raises concerns about mass surveillance and potential abuses. Questions about who is monitored, under what rules, and with what accountability are central to the ongoing debate over domestic drone use.
A Broader Pattern Emerges
The use of Predator drones over Los Angeles is not unprecedented. Similar drones were reportedly flown over Minneapolis during the 2020 protests following George Floyd's death, marking the last known use of such drones over U.S. demonstrations before the recent Los Angeles flights. Experts anticipate that as migrant crossings decrease and border surveillance needs lessen, these drones will increasingly be repurposed for domestic law enforcement and protest monitoring.
Patrick Eddington, a senior fellow at the Cato Institute, warned that as protests spread to more cities, the use of such surveillance tools will likely increase, as reported by Wired. This suggests a growing federal footprint in local matters, raising important questions about the balance between security and civil liberties.
What Happens Next?
The shift of Predator drones from border patrol to protest surveillance has sparked legislative and public calls for clearer rules and restrictions on the use of military-grade surveillance technology in domestic settings. Proposed legislation, such as Rep. Jimmy Gomez's bill to ban military drones over U.S. cities, aims to establish boundaries on how and when these tools can be used.
Local governments, including the Los Angeles City Council, have voiced opposition to the use of such drones for monitoring peaceful protests, emphasizing the need to protect constitutional rights. Meanwhile, federal agencies face pressure to increase transparency about drone operations, data collection, and oversight.
As technology advances and federal agencies expand their capabilities, the debate over the appropriate use of Predator drones in domestic airspace is likely to intensify. The recent flights over Los Angeles mark a significant moment in this ongoing conversation, highlighting the challenges of balancing security, surveillance, and constitutional protections in a rapidly changing technological landscape.
References: CBP's Predator Drone Flights Over LA Are a Dangerous Escalation | Predator drones shift from border to protest surveillance | Predator drones flown over LA protests
