EXCLUSIVE: A Honduran illegal alien accused of attempting to enter the cockpit of a United Airlines flight after allegedly claiming to have a bomb had previously been deported from the United States twice, the Department of Homeland Security confirmed to .
Rony Alexander Gomez-Alberto was arrested by the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office after United Airlines Flight 2174 landed at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport following a frightening midair disturbance Monday night.
The suspect allegedly claimed to have a bomb during the flight, prompting the pilots to issue a reported hijacking alert, according to the Daily Mail. DHS separately confirmed that Gomez-Alberto was accused of attempting to enter the cockpit.
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DHS confirmed that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) lodged a detainer for Gomez-Alberto on Tuesday, Nov. 10, following his arrest.
“On November 10, 2026, ICE lodged a detainer for Rony Alexander Gomez-Alberto, a criminal illegal alien from Honduras, with Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office after he attempted to gain entry to the cockpit during a flight,” a DHS spokesperson told .
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According to DHS, Gomez-Alberto was apprehended by Border Patrol after illegally entering the United States near El Indio, Texas, in September 2011 and again near Columbus, New Mexico, in October 2014. He was removed from the country following both encounters.
In 2019, Border Patrol arrested him again after an attempted illegal entry near San Ysidro, California.
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ICE released Gomez-Alberto from custody in January 2020 after an immigration judge ordered his release pending removal proceedings, according to DHS.
Local reporting citing the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office said Gomez-Alberto was booked on charges of communicating false information of planned arson and terrorizing. DHS separately listed bomb-threat, terroristic-threat and disorderly-conduct offenses in its statement.
United Airlines also confirmed the disturbance in a separate statement to Digital.
“United flight 2174 from Newark to New Orleans landed safely following a disruptive incident involving a passenger onboard. Law enforcement met the aircraft upon arrival,” United Media Relations said.
The airline identified the aircraft as a Boeing 737 MAX 9 carrying 46 passengers and six crew members.
United referred additional questions about the incident to local authorities. The Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to Digital’s request for comment.
“Under President Trump and Secretary Mullin, criminal illegal aliens are NOT welcome in the United States,” the DHS spokesperson said.