A flight to New Orleans ended with an arrest late Nov. 10 after a passenger allegedly told crew members he had a bomb.
The man accused in the bomb threat is a Honduran national, 34, who has been deported twice and has a criminal history that includes similar threats, the Department of Homeland Security said Nov. 11.
What happened on the flight?
The man was arrested without incident shortly after the United Airlines flight landed just before midnight at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office said, according to reports. The airport sits in suburban Kenner, in Jefferson Parish.
No injuries have been reported, and officials have not said where the flight began or how many people were on board. It was also unclear whether the plane was searched or whether passengers were delayed after landing.
Airlines train crews to report any threat to pilots, who alert air traffic control and law enforcement on the ground. Officers often meet the plane at the gate or on a remote section of the airfield.
It was not immediately clear what charges he faces in the bomb threat case. Charges in such cases can be filed at the state or federal level.
What is the suspect’s criminal history?
His record includes a felony bomb threat, felony terroristic threats under state law and disorderly conduct, according to DHS.
The agency said he has been removed from the United States two times. A judge later released him while his latest removal case was pending, the agency said. Reentering the country after deportation is a federal crime that can carry prison time.
DHS did not say when the earlier threats happened or where. The man has not been convicted in connection with the flight, and it was not clear whether he has an attorney.
How did ICE respond to the bomb threat?
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement placed a detainer on the man the night of his arrest, the agency said in a post on X.
A detainer asks local jails to hold someone for up to 48 hours past their scheduled release so immigration officers can take custody.
In its post, ICE said Americans should never face threats like this and argued the man should never have been in the country. The agency has increasingly used social media to publicize arrests of people it says are in the country illegally.
Why is this bomb threat drawing attention?
The case comes as the Trump administration continues its push on deportations and points to cases involving people with criminal records to defend its approach. ICE recently reported 4,170 arrests in Texas over about 11 days in one operation.
Supporters say the administration is focused on removing people who pose a danger. Critics argue that cases like this are used to justify broader enforcement that sweeps up people with no criminal records.
Any bomb threat aboard an aircraft is treated as a serious crime, regardless of whether a device exists. Under federal law, interfering with a flight crew or making false threats about explosives can bring heavy fines and prison time.
What happens next?
Because of the detainer, the man could be transferred to ICE custody once any local case is resolved. Immigration courts would then decide his status, though a prior removal order can speed deportation.
Federal authorities could also pursue charges in the bomb threat, since threats made on an aircraft can fall under federal law.
Officials have not released further details about the bomb threat. Rolling Out will update this story as more information becomes available.
