Twice-Deported Migrant Accused of Bomb Threat on United Flight 2174 to New Orleans

A twice-deported Honduran migrant is accused of claiming there was a bomb aboard United Airlines Flight 2174 and trying to force his way into the cockpit on a flight from Newark to New Orleans. The Department of Homeland Security confirmed on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, that Rony Alexander Gomez-Alberto, 34, had been deported twice before and was released from immigration custody in 2020. He is now held without bail in Louisiana.

Key Points

• United Flight 2174 flew from Newark to New Orleans on Monday, November 9, 2026, with 46 passengers and six crew on board.
• A passenger claimed there was a bomb on board and tried to enter the cockpit, prompting a hijacking alert from the pilots.
• The plane landed safely at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, and deputies arrested the suspect on arrival.
• The suspect is Rony Alexander Gomez-Alberto, 34, a Honduran national living in the Bronx, deported in 2011 and again in 2014.
• He was arrested a third time in 2019 and released from ICE custody in January 2020 by order of an immigration judge.

What Happened

The disturbance unfolded on Monday, November 9, 2026, aboard United Airlines Flight 2174, a scheduled service from Newark to New Orleans. According to the Department of Homeland Security and local law enforcement, a passenger told crew members that there was a bomb on board and then tried to enter the cockpit. The pilots issued a hijacking alert, the formal distress signal used when a crew believes the aircraft may be under threat.

The plane landed safely at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, where officers were waiting. The Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office took the suspect into custody and booked him on charges of communicating false information of planned arson and terrorizing, both serious offences under Louisiana law. He is being held without bail at the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center. United Airlines confirmed the disturbance but has not given further details. Authorities have not said how close the suspect came to the cockpit door. Reinforced cockpit doors, fitted since the September 11 attacks, are designed to stay locked in flight.

Background: Two Deportations and a Release

The case quickly entered the national immigration debate because of the suspect’s history with federal authorities. The Department of Homeland Security confirmed on Tuesday, November 10, that Gomez-Alberto had been deported twice: first in September 2011 after being caught near El Indio, Texas, and again in October 2014 after being apprehended near Columbus, New Mexico.

He was arrested a third time in 2019 near San Ysidro, California. This time he was not removed. In January 2020, an immigration judge ordered his release from ICE custody pending removal proceedings, and he stayed in the United States while his case continued. DHS said he had been living in the Bronx and that his criminal history includes felony bomb threat, felony terroristic-threat and disorderly-conduct offences. On Tuesday, November 10, ICE lodged a detainer for him, asking the Jefferson Parish jail to hold him for federal officers even if the local charges are resolved.

United Flight 2174 Bomb Threat: What Investigators Say

A bomb threat on a commercial flight is treated as a grave security incident even when no device is found, because the crew cannot know in the air whether the threat is real. Standard procedure is to alert air traffic control, declare an emergency if needed, and land at the nearest suitable airport with police standing by. Here the pilots issued a hijacking alert, signalling suspected unlawful interference and triggering a full law enforcement response.

The charges reflect the two core allegations: that the suspect falsely claimed a bomb was on board, and that his actions were meant to frighten passengers and crew. Federal charges could follow, since threatening an aircraft and interfering with a flight crew are also federal offences, but none had been announced. Experts say the incident shows the greatest vulnerability on a modern airliner is often inside the cabin, not at the checkpoint. Locked doors and trained crew worked as intended, but a determined passenger can still cause panic.

Reactions and Quotes

United Airlines confirmed a disturbance took place on the flight but has not described it in detail or named the passenger. The Department of Homeland Security confirmed the suspect’s identity and immigration history on Tuesday, November 10, and said ICE had lodged a detainer. The Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office has not released a detailed statement beyond the arrest and charges, and has not said whether the suspect has a lawyer or when he next appears in court.

Why It Matters

The incident matters for three reasons. First, it was a genuine scare for 46 passengers and six crew, who could not know in the air whether the bomb claim was a hoax. A false threat can be as disruptive as a real one. Second, it tests the layers of aviation security built up over two decades. Locked cockpit doors, trained crew and a clear alert procedure all worked, but the episode shows those defences depend on people.

Third, the suspect’s immigration history guarantees the case will feed the national argument over deportation and detention. The Trump administration has made removing migrants with criminal records a central priority, and DHS moved quickly to publicise the two deportations and the 2020 release. Supporters of tougher enforcement will cite the case; critics will ask why he was free to board a domestic flight.

What Happens Next

Gomez-Alberto remains in custody without bail. Louisiana prosecutors will present the charges of communicating false information of planned arson and terrorizing, and a conviction would mean significant prison time under state law. Federal prosecutors could still bring their own charges over the threat to the aircraft. ICE’s detainer means that even if the local case is resolved, federal immigration officers intend to take him into custody, and his removal proceedings, pending since 2020, could now move forward. Investigators will keep gathering evidence from the flight.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on United Flight 2174?
On Monday, November 9, 2026, a passenger claimed there was a bomb on board and tried to enter the cockpit. The pilots issued a hijacking alert and the plane landed safely.

Who is the suspect?
Rony Alexander Gomez-Alberto, 34, a Honduran living in the Bronx. He was deported in 2011 and 2014, arrested again in 2019, and released from ICE custody in January 2020 by an immigration judge.

What is he charged with?
He was booked on charges of communicating false information of planned arson and terrorizing. He is held without bail.

Were any passengers hurt?
No injuries have been reported. The plane, with 46 passengers and six crew, landed safely at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport.

What happens to him now?
He faces the Louisiana charges first, and ICE has lodged a detainer. Federal charges and renewed removal proceedings are both possible.

Read more on US News Pulse: our report on the ICE arrest in Hamilton, Ohio, where a viral video split a sheriff and a family, and the conviction of former officer Matthew Farwell for murdering Sandra Birchmore. Also see the FBI investigation into a suspected homicide aboard the MSC Seascape.