Electronic Frontier Foundation1d ago
The FAA quietly imposed a nationwide drone restriction that prevents filming ICE and other federal agents within half a mile. It’s an attack on the First Amendment. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/04/faas-temporary-flight-restriction-drones-blatant-attempt-criminalize-filming-ice
The FAA’s “Temporary” Flight Restriction for Drones is a Blatant Attempt to Criminalize Filming ICE

Legal intern Raj Gambhir was the principal author of this post.The Trump administration has restricted the First Amendment right to record law enforcement by issuing an unprecedented nationwide flight restriction preventing private drone operators, including professional and citizen journalists,...

Electronic Frontier Foundation
Show threadBill Zaumen
@eff Just out of curiosity, how does a drone operator comply with this restriction if they don't publish the precise location of every "ICE and CBP vehicle"? If a drone was being used, for example, to inspect my roof, how would the operator know that an ICE vehicle was driving down the freeway less than 1/2 mile away?
Apr 3 at 11:55pmWeb
Show threadKrissyKat1d ago

@bzdev @eff

I was thinking the same. Maybe ICE and CBP should make announcements where they'll be to give drone operators and the public the ability to follow the regulation.

Show threadDima 🇩🇰 🇺🇦1d ago

@KrissyKat @bzdev @eff

"... to follow the regulation"

Or the ICE car?! 🧐

Show threadBobulous  1d ago
@bzdev @eff You're not thinking of it with a fascist's mind. The dictator's storm troops will attack anyone they catch filming them anyway; this law just gives them legal coverage after the event. Saves the dictator from breaking out his thick Sharpie to issue a pardon.
Show threadcontrasocial1d ago

@bzdev @eff

None of the half-assed shit they do has been thought out that far, they are simply interested in a creating a barrage of attacks on our civil liberties and hoping enough sticks to keep people afraid of holding them accountable.

Show threadDressToKILT1d ago
@bzdev @eff the answer is that ICE is everywhere and if they want to arrest you for flying a drone, they will.
Show thread❣️u.s. pause federal tax remittances1d ago

@bzdev maybe they will start wearing r.f.id's ? still masks and no name tags or license plates, but uniquely tagged. or maybe they will start getting microchipped. oh the ideas running around in my mind now...

@eff