New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) joined the growing number of figures calling on the Biden administration and lawmakers to act on the mysterious drone sightings in New Jersey and other parts of the country.
“In order to allow state law enforcement to work on this issue, I am now calling on Congress to pass the Counter-UAS Authority Security, Safety, and Reauthorization Act,” Hochul wrote Saturday in a statement, referring to legislation that would expand the authority of the Justice (DOJ) and Homeland Security (DHS) departments to address threats from unmanned aerial systems, as well as additional oversight power to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
“Extending these powers to New York State and our peers is essential. Until those powers are granted to state and local officials, the Biden Administration must step in by directing additional federal law enforcement to New York and the surrounding region to ensure the safety of our critical infrastructure and our people,” she added.
The pressure comes amid mounting reports of sightings in New Jersey, New York and, according to Philadelphia’s WPVI-TV, multiple reports of flying objects within Delaware and Philadelphia counties. The Pentagon on Wednesday denied that any foreign country was behind the mysterious drones that have also flown near sensitive U.S. military sites.
Lawmakers in the northeastern part of the country — areas where the drones have been reportedly spotted — sent a letter Thursday to the FBI, DHS and FAA demanding a briefing on the drones.
New Jersey assemblyman Mike Inganamort (R) also urged the Biden administration to take action against the uptick in drones.
DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas suggested that the drones reportedly spotted are not “nefarious” nor a “threat,” echoing comments from the White House earlier this week.
“We know of no threat or nefarious activity, and I want to repeat, Wolf, that if we learn of any cause for concern, we will be transparent in our communication,” Mayorkas told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer on Friday.
Trump, in a post on Truth Social, called for authorities to shoot down the drones and suggested the government must know more about the mysterious sightings.
“Mystery Drone sightings all over the Country. Can this really be happening without our government’s knowledge,” he wrote Friday. “I don’t think so!”
“Let the public know, and now,” he added. “Otherwise, [shoot] them down!!!”
