Twice-Deported Honduran National Tries Hijacking Flight 2174

A twice-deported Honduran national with a documented history of illegal border crossings was arrested Monday night after allegedly threatening to bomb a United Airlines flight and attempting to storm the cockpit, according to law enforcement accounts.

Rony Alexander Gomez Alberto faces state charges of communicating false information of planned arson and terrorizing following the incident aboard United Airlines Flight 2174, which departed Newark bound for New Orleans.

According to police, Gomez Alberto began acting erratically during the flight and claimed to possess a bomb while attempting to force his way into the cockpit. The aircraft was carrying 46 passengers and six crew members. Pilots responded by issuing a hijacking alert, but the plane landed safely in New Orleans, where law enforcement apprehended the suspect.

🚨 IT'S OFFICIAL: A confirmed illegal alien tried HIJACKING a New Jersey flight by storming the cockpit door and saying he has a bomb

And he was deported TWICE BEFORE ‼️

Thank GOD the plane landed safely

"A Honduran national began acting erratically, allegedly claiming he had… pic.twitter.com/qc96f9DCBL

— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) November 11, 2026

The suspect’s immigration record presents a troubling pattern of repeat entries into the United States despite prior removals. According to the Department of Homeland Security, Gomez Alberto illegally entered the country in 2011 and again in 2014. He was deported following both incidents.

Five years after his second deportation, he was arrested attempting to illegally re-enter through California. The case then entered the immigration court system.

In January 2020, an immigration judge ordered Gomez Alberto’s release from Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody while his removal proceedings continued. His release despite his history of illegal re-entry and active deportation case underscores questions about how immigration judges handle custody decisions for individuals with repeated violations.

The incident highlights vulnerabilities in aviation security and immigration enforcement. The suspect’s successful re-entry into the country after two prior deportations illustrates the challenges federal immigration authorities face in preventing repeat illegal border crossings by individuals with documented removal histories.

The case has drawn attention to the immigration court system’s role in release decisions. Immigration judges operate independently within the Justice Department’s Executive Office for Immigration Review. They have authority to order release from ICE custody while deportation proceedings continue, based on factors including flight risk and danger to the community.

Gomez Alberto’s case demonstrates how that discretion can result in the release of individuals with multiple deportations. His 2020 release occurred despite two prior removals and an arrest for attempting illegal re-entry.

The Monday night incident occurred amid broader national debate over border security and the deportation process. Conservative lawmakers and immigration enforcement advocates have pointed to cases like Gomez Alberto’s as evidence that the immigration court system requires reform.

The Trump administration has overseen what Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin described as 17 consecutive months of secured border operations. The department reported that fiscal year 2026 produced the lowest number of southwest border apprehensions in American history, with 98,708 encounters representing a 95 percent decline from the previous year.

Despite those enforcement gains, the Gomez Alberto case illustrates that individuals who entered illegally during prior administrations and were released by immigration judges remain in the country.

United Airlines confirmed the incident and said the flight crew followed established security protocols. The Federal Aviation Administration is reviewing the hijacking alert.

The case now proceeds in Louisiana state court on the charges of communicating false information and terrorizing. Federal immigration charges related to illegal re-entry after deportation may follow, though authorities have not announced any federal charges as of publication.

Passengers aboard the flight described a tense atmosphere during the incident, though the suspect never breached the reinforced cockpit door. Modern aircraft security measures implemented after September 11, 2001, require strengthened cockpit doors that can withstand forced entry attempts.

The incident represents the first alleged hijacking attempt aboard a U.S. commercial flight in several years. Aviation security experts noted that the suspect’s inability to breach the cockpit door demonstrated the effectiveness of post-9/11 security hardening, even as the case raised questions about how he was able to board the flight with an active deportation history.