Homeland Security confirms drone sightings in NYC after officials demand answers

New York’s Staten Island. U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas confirmed that the residents are indeed seeing drones, according to a report posted on Advance sister-siteNJ.com, as social media is ablaze with reports of drone sightings over the Island and in neighboring New Jersey.

Mayorkas stated in a Sunday morning television interview on ABC’s This Week that there is no doubt that people are seeing drones.

Drones are what some of those sightings are. Some are manned aircraft that are frequently confused with unmanned aerial vehicles. However, it is undeniable that drones are being spotted. Before urging Congress to increase local and state authorities to assist solve the concerns, Obama stated, “I want to reassure the American public that we are on it,” according to the report.

As we’ve all stated for years, it’s imperative that Congress grant us more authority to deal with the drone issue. We now have few authorities, and they are about to expire. Mayorcas continued, “We need them expanded and extended.”

Since they first appeared in New Jersey sky in mid-November, the drones have quickly spread out over Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, and the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge.

Over the past week and a half, borough residents have seen the enigmatic drones on multiple occasions. Since lawmakers’ attempts to obtain answers have not yet been successful, Staten Islanders’ initial interest has now evolved into worry and, in some cases, terror.

Borough President Vito Fossella and other political leaders from Staten Island convened at Fort Wadsworth on Friday to demand an NYPD investigation and answers regarding drone sightings over the island.

“Take the initiative, be truthful and honest with the American people, the people of Staten Island, and find a permanent solution to this issue,” Fossella urged.

Members of Congress were briefed earlier this week by government officials that several of the claimed drone sitings matched established flight paths for manned aircraft, but Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-Staten Island/South Brooklyn) said she was still not pleased.

Senators from New York and New Jersey also wrote a letter this week to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Department of Homeland Security, and the FBI, requesting that they host a briefing on drone activity.

It is upsetting to have no answers, according to the newspaper, but New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy has stated that officials have no reason to think residents are in risk due to the drones.

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