DHS says man accused of bomb threat on United flight was deported twice
The 34-year-old was arrested after the Newark-to-New Orleans flight landed safely, and ICE lodged a detainer, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
A man aboard a United Airlines flight from Newark, New Jersey, to New Orleans reportedly told crew members late Monday that he had a bomb. The Boeing 737 MAX 9, carrying 46 passengers and six crew members, landed safely at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport. The Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office said the 34-year-old man was arrested without incident.
Authorities booked him on accusations of giving false reports about a planned arson and of terrorizing people. The Associated Press report in The Seattle Times did not name him. The Department of identifies him as Rony Alexander Gomez-Alberto, a Honduran national, and says he tried to enter the cockpit.
DHS says Immigration and Customs Enforcement lodged a detainer on Nov. 10 and that he had been twice before. DHS's own account of the offenses covers a bomb threat, a felony terroristic threat and disorderly conduct. He remains in custody in Louisiana with no bond.
United said the plane landed after a "disruptive incident involving a passenger onboard." The Federal Aviation Administration plans to investigate. Breitbart reports the said the 's Office will decide whether he faces federal charges.
- 46 passengers and six crew membersaboard the Boeing 737 MAX 9The Seattle Times
- 34age of the arrested manThe Seattle Times
- 2011year DHS says he first entered illegally, before being removedBreitbart News
- January 2020when DHS says ICE released him after a judge's orderFox News
Three sides of the story
13 news outlets reported this · Little coverage from liberal outlets
Tap a color or swipe sideways to switch sides.
Liberal0 outlets
Outlets on the left gave the story little coverage.
Center2 outlets
The arrest and the flight's safe landing
The Seattle Times, in a report carrying Associated Press credits, leads with the arrest of an unnamed 34-year-old who "reportedly" told crew he had a bomb. It relies on the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office, which booked him for communicating false information about planned arson and for terrorizing, and on United's statement about a "disruptive incident." It reports that the plane, a Boeing 737 MAX 9 that left Newark with 46 passengers and six crew members, landed safely and that the FAA plans to investigate.
The sheriff's office gave no additional information. NewsNation, under a headline calling the suspect a twice-deported migrant accused in a midair bomb threat scare, reports that a passenger is accused of rushing the cockpit and saying he had a bomb before the United flight landed safely.
- The Seattle Times: Man arrested after saying he had a bomb on a flight to New Orleans
- NewsNation: Twice-deported migrant accused in midair bomb threat scare
Conservative11 outlets
A twice-deported Honduran accused of storming the cockpit
Fox News, Breitbart and Townhall build their reports on DHS statements, with Townhall relaying Fox's reporting and posts on X. Fox's headline reads "Twice-deported illegal immigrant accused of trying to storm United cockpit." They name Rony Alexander Gomez-Alberto and detail his entries in 2011, 2014 and 2019 and his January 2020 release by a judge's order. Fox and Breitbart quote DHS saying that "criminal illegal aliens" are "NOT welcome" under President Trump and Secretary Mullin.
The Washington Examiner leads with the detainer, adds ICE's post that Americans should never face such threats, and reports a United "Level 4" hijacking alert. Breitbart describes crew moving him to the rear of the cabin and reports the FBI saying the US Attorney's Office will decide on federal charges. Townhall also embeds Fox correspondent Bill Melugin's post.
- Fox News: Twice-deported illegal immigrant accused of trying to storm United cockpit, threatening bomb: DHS
- Breitbart News: DHS Says Twice-Deported Illegal Alien Tried to Storm United Cockpit
- Townhall: Illegal Alien Arrested for Making Bomb Threats on United Flight
- Washington Examiner: ICE issues detainer for Honduran who allegedly tried to storm cockpit midflight
Which side made the stronger case?
We will email you when the story continues. At most one email a day.
All sources: 21 articles from 13 outlets
Center (2)
- NewsNation: Twice-deported migrant accused in midair bomb threat scare
- The Seattle Times: Man arrested after saying he had a bomb on a flight to New Orleans
Conservative (19)
- Breitbart News: DHS Says Twice-Deported Illegal Alien Tried to Storm United Cockpit
- Fox News: Twice-deported United cockpit suspect granted asylum after transgender persecution claim: DHS
- Fox News: Twice-deported illegal immigrant accused of trying to storm United cockpit, threatening bomb: DHS
- Just the News: DHS says illegal Honduran migrant is accused of trying to storm United cockpit, threatening bomb
- New York Post: Illegal migrant who tried to hijack a United Airlines flight claimed to be trans and HIV positive — and was granted asylum
- New York Post: Illegal immigrant ID’d as United flier accused of bomb threat, hijack attempt — was previously busted by ICE but judge let him go
- New York Post: United flight sends out hijack alert after passenger claiming to have bomb attempts to storm cockpit
- RedState: DHS Reveals More Details on Man Arrested After Alleged Bomb Threat on Flight to New Orleans
- The Blaze: Illegal alien who allegedly made bomb threat on plane identified as transgender to obtain asylum, ICE confirms
- The Blaze: Honduran illegal alien who TERRORIZED flight with bomb threat had been deported TWICE before, feds claim
- The Daily Wire: Trans Asylum Claim Has DHS Explaining How Hijacking Suspect Was ‘Gaming’ The System
- The Daily Wire: EXCLUSIVE: Attempted Plane Hijacking Migrant Claimed To Be Trans To Get Fast Pass Into U.S.
- The Daily Wire: Twice-Deported Illegal Tries To Storm Cockpit, Claims He Has Bomb On United Flight
- The Epoch Times: ICE: Man Arrested for Airplane Bomb Threat Was Twice-Deported Honduran
- The Post Millennial: Honduran illegal alien would-be hijacker granted asylum in 2020 for being 'trans': report
- Townhall: Illegal Alien Who Tried to Hijack a Plane Got Asylum by Claiming He's Transgender
- Townhall: Illegal Alien Arrested for Making Bomb Threats on United Flight
- Washington Examiner: United Airlines hijacking suspect ID’d as previously deported transgender asylum recipient, DHS says
- Washington Examiner: ICE issues detainer for Honduran who allegedly tried to storm cockpit midflight
The evening briefing by email
One email a day, around 8:30 p.m. New York time: the seven main stories, each with its three sides, and the blind spot of the day. Unsubscribe with one tap.
A Telegram channel is coming soon.