The Department of Homeland Security has confirmed that a Honduran national arrested following a midair disturbance aboard a United Airlines flight Monday evening had previously been deported from the United States on two separate occasions.
Rony Alexander Gomez-Alberto was taken into custody by the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office after United Airlines Flight 2174 landed at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport. According to federal authorities, Gomez-Alberto allegedly attempted to gain entry to the aircraft’s cockpit during the flight and claimed to have a bomb, prompting the pilots to issue a hijacking alert.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement lodged a detainer for Gomez-Alberto on Tuesday, November 10, following his arrest. A DHS spokesperson stated that the suspect is classified as a criminal illegal alien from Honduras.
Federal records reveal a lengthy history of illegal entry attempts and enforcement actions. Border Patrol first apprehended Gomez-Alberto near El Indio, Texas, in September 2011 after an illegal crossing. He was subsequently removed from the country. Three years later, in October 2014, Border Patrol arrested him again following an illegal entry near Columbus, New Mexico. He was once more removed from the United States.
In 2019, Gomez-Alberto was arrested by Border Patrol a third time after attempting illegal entry near San Ysidro, California. Following this apprehension, an immigration judge ordered his release from ICE custody in January 2020, pending removal proceedings. Gomez-Alberto remained in the country thereafter.
The Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office has charged Gomez-Alberto with communicating false information of planned arson and terrorizing, according to local reports. Federal authorities separately cited additional offenses including bomb threat, terroristic threat, and disorderly conduct in their statement.
United Airlines confirmed the incident in a statement, noting that the flight from Newark to New Orleans landed safely despite what the carrier described as a disruptive incident involving a passenger. Law enforcement met the aircraft upon its arrival. The airline identified the aircraft as a Boeing 737 MAX 9 carrying 46 passengers and six crew members at the time of the incident.
The case raises renewed questions about immigration enforcement and public safety, particularly regarding individuals who have been previously removed from the country but subsequently re-enter. The suspect’s release from ICE custody in 2020, despite multiple prior deportations, occurred under an immigration judge’s order pending removal proceedings that evidently never reached conclusion.
Federal authorities have not released additional details about the sequence of events aboard the flight or what may have motivated the alleged actions. The Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate the incident, and federal charges may be forthcoming given the nature of the allegations and the suspect’s immigration status.
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