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United Airlines hijacking suspect ID’d as previously deported transgender asylum recipient, DHS says

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Cite

Deese, K., & Giaritelli, A. (2026, November 12). United Airlines hijacking suspect ID’d as previously deported transgender asylum recipient, DHS says. Washington Examiner. https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/immigration/4801419/united-airlines-hijacking-suspect-idd-as-previously-deported-transgender-asylum-recipient-dhs-says/

Dated from the outlet's own feed. Check the original for its byline.

Washington Examiner · collected 2026-11-12 · by Kaelan Deese, Anna Giaritelli

Quick Summary

The Department of Homeland Security identifies 34-year-old Rony Alexander Gomez-Alberto as the man accused of attempting to storm a United Airlines cockpit. The DHS reported that the Honduran national had been deported twice before being granted asylum during Donald Trump’s first term because he claimed he feared being killed in Honduras due to his transgender identity. This report focuses on the suspect's immigration history and the specific justification provided for his previous asylum grant.
Written by AI on 2026-11-13, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).
See how they differ ↓

AI analysis

Story summary

Rony Alexander Gomez-Alberto, a 34-year-old male from Honduras, was arrested after allegedly attempting to storm the cockpit of United Airlines Flight UA2174 and claiming to have a bomb. The flight took off from Newark International Airport and traveled to Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport on Monday, October 24, 2026 (or November 10, 2026 depending on the report). According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Gomez-Alberto changed into all-black clothing before attempting to reach the cockpit, prompting pilots to issue a hijacking alert. Following the flight, the aircraft landed safely and the man was taken into custody by the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. ICE reported that Gomez-Alberto had previously been deported from the United States twice. However, officials stated he was granted asylum on a third attempt after claiming he would be killed in Honduras because he identifies as transgender. DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin stated that the suspect "gamed" the asylum system to remain in the country.

Written for “United Airlines hijack attempt” on 2026-11-13, grounded in this article and the 18 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The model judged this article politically coded and scored it +0.35, but 1 quote(s) could not be found in the article and the other 1 are attributed speech rather than the article's own narration, so the score is not published.
Written under an earlier scoring contract, which gave a paragraph rather than checkable quotes. Re-analysing this article replaces it.
Leaning score withheld for article 148677: no verified evidence · logged 2026-11-13

How they differ

9 outlets covered “United Airlines hijack attempt”.

What each outlet says

One AI summary per outlet of its latest article on this story, written from that article alone and checked against it. Open the article for the outlet's own words.

Washington ExaminerThis outlet12 Nov

The Department of Homeland Security identifies 34-year-old Rony Alexander Gomez-Alberto as the man accused of attempting to storm a United Airlines cockpit. The DHS reported that the Honduran national had been deported twice before being granted asylum during Donald Trump’s first term because he claimed he feared being killed in Honduras due to his transgender identity. This report focuses on the suspect's…

United Airlines hijacking suspect ID’d as previously deported transgender asylum recipient, DHS says (this article)2 articles from Washington Examiner on this story
Fox News12 Nov

Rony Alexander Gomez-Alberto, a 34-year-old Honduran national who attempted to breach the cockpit of a United Airlines flight in November 2019 and was previously deported twice, has been granted asylum status after claiming he faced transgender persecution in Honduras. DHS criticized this decision as exploiting weaknesses in the U.S. asylum system. Gomez-Alberto faces charges including terrorizing passengers and…

Twice-deported United cockpit suspect granted asylum after transgender persecution claim: DHS →4 articles from Fox News on this story
New York Post11 Nov

Rony Alexander Gomez-Alberto, a 34-year-old Honduran man deported twice from the United States, was granted asylum in 2019 after claiming he faced persecution as a transgender person and that he is HIV positive. He attempted to hijack a United Airlines flight out of New Jersey by threatening to detonate a bomb but was arrested before boarding could complete. Immigration officials stated Gomez-Alberto has multiple…

Illegal migrant who tried to hijack a United Airlines flight claimed to be trans and HIV positive — and was granted asylum →3 articles from New York Post on this story
The Daily Wire12 Nov

DHS is investigating Rony Alexander Gomez-Alberto, a Honduran migrant who attempted to hijack a United Airlines flight, for asylum fraud. Gomez-Alberto, who was deported twice before, claimed asylum in 2019, stating he faced persecution as a transgender person in Honduras. He was granted asylum in 2020 but now DHS accuses him of exploiting the asylum system. DHS also notes that under President Trump’s leadership…

Trans Asylum Claim Has DHS Explaining How Hijacking Suspect Was ‘Gaming’ The System →3 articles from The Daily Wire on this story
Daily Mail11 Nov

Rony Alexander Gomez-Alberto, 34, an illegal immigrant from Honduras, was arrested after threatening to detonate a bomb on United Flight 2174 heading to New Orleans. During the flight, he allegedly attempted to storm the cockpit, leading pilots to issue a hijack alert. This incident occurred on Monday night when the plane took off from Newark International Airport and landed safely in New Orleans an hour later…

Illegal migrant arrested for threatening to bomb United Airlines flight to New Orleans before rushing cockpit →2 articles from Daily Mail on this story
The Blaze12 Nov

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement confirmed that Rony Alexander Gomez-Alberto, a Honduran man who had been deported twice previously, was granted asylum after allegedly attempting to force his way into the cockpit of a United Airlines flight on Monday. Gomez-Alberto reportedly claimed he feared for his life because he is transgender while the flight, which carried 46 passengers and six crew members, triggered…

Illegal alien who allegedly made bomb threat on plane identified as transgender to obtain asylum, ICE confirms →2 articles from The Blaze on this story
Show 3 more outlets
Toronto Star11 Nov

A 34-year-old man was arrested after claiming to have a bomb on a flight headed to New Orleans late one evening. He reportedly became irrational during the journey and informed the crew of his claim. The plane landed safely at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, where authorities took him into custody without any further incident occurring.

A man is arrested after saying he had a bomb while aboard a flight bound for New Orleans →
Just the News11 Nov

Department of Homeland Security reported that Rony Alexander Gomez-Alberto, an illegal Honduran migrant who had previously been deported twice, was arrested after claiming to have a bomb and attempting to enter the cockpit during a United Airlines flight from Newark to New Orleans on November 10, 2026. Immigration and Customs Enforcement lodged a detainer for Gomez-Alberto following his arrest by the Jefferson…

DHS says illegal Honduran migrant is accused of trying to storm United cockpit, threatening bomb →
Global News11 Nov

Rony Alexander Gomez-Alberto, a 34-year-old man from Honduras with a history of criminal offenses including felony bomb threats, was arrested after allegedly claiming to have a bomb on United Airlines flight 2174 from Newark, New Jersey, to New Orleans. The plane landed safely at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, and Gomez-Alberto was booked for communicating false information about arson and…

Man arrested after alleged bomb threat on flight bound for New Orleans →

Where they agree and split

Framing

How the first headlines put it

A claim to check1
Attributed to a source2
Stated as fact4
The headlines (7)

Twice-Deported Illegal Tries To Storm Cockpit, Claims He Has Bomb On United Flight The Daily Wire · a claim to check

Twice-deported illegal immigrant accused of trying to storm United cockpit, threatening bomb: DHS Fox News · attributed to a source

DHS says illegal Honduran migrant is accused of trying to storm United cockpit, threatening bomb Just the News · attributed to a source

United flight from Newark to New Orleans sent out hijacking distress call after passenger tried to storm cockpit Daily Mail · stated as fact

A man is arrested after saying he had a bomb while aboard a flight bound for New Orleans Toronto Star · stated as fact

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 · stated as fact

ICE issues detainer for Honduran who allegedly tried to storm cockpit midflight Washington Examiner · stated as fact

The full story: what happened, how it changed, and all 19 articles →

Compared with similar articles

This article reads unscored and hedges 0% of its claims. Each row says how that neighbour differs.
Twice-deported United cockpit suspect granted asylum after transgender persecution claim: DHS Same event
Fox News
Hedges 4 of 20 claims Outlet record 67/100
EXCLUSIVE: Attempted Plane Hijacking Migrant Claimed To Be Trans To Get Fast Pass Into US Same event
The Daily Wire
Hedges 7 of 16 claims Outlet record 59/100
Illegal migrant who tried to hijack a United Airlines flight claimed to be trans and HIV positive — and was granted asylum Same event
New York Post
Leans strongly right Hedges 3 of 11 claims Outlet record 66/100
Twice-deported illegal immigrant accused of trying to storm United cockpit, threatening bomb: DHS Same event
Fox News
Hedges 4 of 19 claims Outlet record 67/100
Twice-deported illegal immigrant accused of trying to storm United cockpit, threatening bomb: DHS Same event
Fox News
Hedges 4 of 19 claims Outlet record 67/100
ICE issues detainer for Honduran who allegedly tried to storm cockpit midflight Same event
Washington Examiner
Hedges 2 of 2 claims Outlet record 68/100
Illegal migrant arrested for threatening to bomb United Airlines flight to New Orleans before rushing cockpit Same event
Daily Mail
Hedges 4 of 16 claims Outlet record 70/100
Twice-Deported Illegal Tries To Storm Cockpit, Claims He Has Bomb On United Flight Same event
The Daily Wire
Hedges 3 of 14 claims Outlet record 59/100
Illegal immigrant’s alleged plane hijack scare fuels tense security scramble after door was ‘breached’: audio Same event
Fox News
Centre Hedges 3 of 18 claims Outlet record 67/100
Chilling audio reveals tense scramble during twice-deported illegal migrant’s alleged United hijack scare Same event
New York Post
Centre Hedges 3 of 19 claims Outlet record 66/100

Story

United Airlines hijack attempt
Crime & Law · 19 article(s) covering the same event. Compare every outlet's account →
How this article was measured signals, leaning charts, publisher record, byline, topics and claims

Signals How these are calculated →

Claims extracted
3
sentences that state something as happening or true
Uncertain
0%
0 of 3 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")
Leaning
withheld
no quote in the article backed the model's score
Publisher signals
68/100
Washington Examiner's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.
Outlets on this story
19
Crime & Law
Same framing elsewhere
1
articles that frame the event the way this one does
Analyzed 2026-11-13 · how these are computed

How this is being covered How these are calculated →

Article leaning vs. publisher reliability
Source leaning vs. consistency

Publisher

Washington Examiner · 4770 article(s) · 9 correction(s) detected
Running correction rate · 9 correction(s)
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Who wrote this

Kaelan Deese
67 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction
Attorney General Todd Blanche said Thursday that the Justice Department has no active criminal investigations into Democratic lawmakers’ remarks about their plans to scrutinize the Trump administration, days after he said lawmakers attempting to open partisan investigations against the administration could be “a crime.”
2026-11-12 · mixed framing · ‘No ongoing investigations’ into Democrats’ oversight threats, Blanche says
The previously deported Honduran man accused of trying to storm the cockpit of a United Airlines flight was granted asylum after saying he feared he would be killed in Honduras because he is transgender, the Department of Homeland Security told the Washington Examiner.
2026-11-12 · assertive framing · United Airlines hijacking suspect ID’d as previously deported transgender asylum recipient, DHS says
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Trainor takes over a division that Dhillon redirected toward obtaining state voter rolls and challenging diversity policies, priorities that will now fall to him.
2026-11-11 · assertive framing · DOJ hires ex-Jim Jordan staffer as civil rights chief after Harmeet Dhillon departure
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President Donald Trump is urging the Senate to confirm 25 federal judges before Republicans surrender their majority in January, as resistance from Arkansas’s senators threatens a nominee whose confirmation would give Trump appointees a majority on a federal appeals court for the first time.
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An announcement could come as early as Thursday.
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The preparations add weight to the subpoena threats Democrats issued as Tuesday’s election results handed them control of Congress — and raise questions about how their investigative ambitions will coexist with promises to focus on affordability.
2026-11-05 · assertive framing · Democrats already recruiting oversight staff as left-leaning law firms gear up for Trump investigations
Also by Kaelan Deese
‘No ongoing investigations’ into Democrats’ oversight threats, Blanche says
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2026-11-11 · Washington Examiner
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Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.
All 67 articles by Kaelan Deese →
Anna Giaritelli
37 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction
The previously deported Honduran man accused of trying to storm the cockpit of a United Airlines flight was granted asylum after saying he feared he would be killed in Honduras because he is transgender, the Department of Homeland Security told the Washington Examiner.
2026-11-12 · assertive framing · United Airlines hijacking suspect ID’d as previously deported transgender asylum recipient, DHS says
Trump’s openness to a “deal” to allow illegal immigrants who have lived and worked in the country for 10 or 15 years to gain legal status would go far beyond the agreement he sought to lock down in 2018, during his first term.
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Conservative commentators and MAGA figures balked at Trump’s admission during a CBS News 60 Minutes interview, which aired Sunday evening, that he would “love” to work with the Democratic majorities in the House and Senate to provide legal status to millions of illegal immigrants in the United States who do not have criminal histories.
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Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.
All 37 articles by Anna Giaritelli →

Topics

Honduran Honduras United Airlines the Department of Homeland Security the Washington Examiner

Subjects

Honduras GPE · 2× DHS ORG · 1× Donald Trump PERSON · 1× Honduran NORP · 1× Rony Alexander Gomez-Alberto PERSON · 1× United Airlines ORG · 1× the Department of Homeland Security ORG · 1× the United States GPE · 1× the Washington Examiner ORG · 1×

Narrative

The previously deported Honduran man accused of trying to storm the cockpit of a United Airlines flight was granted asylum after saying he feared he would be killed in Honduras because he is transgender, the Department of Homeland Security told the Washington Examiner.
framing: assertive · carried by 1 article(s) · first seen 2026-11-13
The previously deported Honduran man accused of trying to storm the cockpit of a United Airlines flight was granted asylum after saying he feared he would be killed in Honduras because he is transgender, the Department of Homeland Security told the Washington Examiner.
2026-11-13 · Washington Examiner
United Airlines hijacking suspect ID’d as previously deported transgender asylum recipient, DHS says · assertive framing

Claims (3 extracted, 0 hedged)

The previously deported Honduran man accused of trying to storm the cockpit of a United Airlines flight was granted asylum after saying he feared he would be killed in Honduras because he is transgender, the Department of Homeland Security told the Washington Examiner. asserted
Department → deport → Examiner
In a statement issued Thursday morning, the DHS said Rony Alexander Gomez-Alberto, 34, had been deported twice before returning to the United States and applying for asylum. asserted
Alberto → issue → asylum
The department said he told authorities he feared being killed in Honduras because he was transgender and that an immigration judge later granted his application during President Donald Trump’s first term. asserted
judge → say → term
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