Now, the suspect’s immigration record is raising serious questions about why he remained in the United States years after being deported twice.
According to information attributed to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Gomez-Alberto had been apprehended by federal immigration authorities on three separate occasions before the frightening incident aboard Flight 2174.
Despite two previous removals from the country, an immigration judge authorized his release from federal custody in January 2020 while his immigration case remained pending.
