DHS deputy highlights new CBP training center, a reported Supreme Court ruling and regional travel

Nate Madden, principal deputy assistant secretary at the Department of Homeland Security, gave a weekly update saying the department marked several developments this week, including the opening of a Customs and Border Protection training facility in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia; what he described as a Supreme Court ruling on removal authority; arrests of several Iranian nationals; and international travel by “Secretary Noem” to Latin American countries to discuss migration and law‑enforcement cooperation.

Madden said the new facility, called Monarch Hall at CBP’s advanced training center in Harpers Ferry, will “train new CBP agents to defend the homeland with cutting edge technology.” He characterized the opening as part of providing “the tools they need to make America safe again.”

Madden also said, without citing a specific case name in his remarks, that “the Supreme Court ruled that the Trump administration can exercise its undisputed authority to remove criminal illegal aliens to a country willing to accept them,” and added that this would “expedite the removal of millions of illegal aliens” he said had come into the United States under the Biden administration. Those claims were presented by Madden as descriptions of recent legal developments; Madden did not provide a case citation in the remarks.

On enforcement, Madden said Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested “several Iranian nationals illegally in The US, including an individual with admitted ties to Hezbollah, an owner suspected terrorist, and an alleged former sniper for the Iranian army.” He described those arrests as part of efforts to remove “the worst of the worst.”

Madden summarized international engagement saying that “Secretary Noem joined U.S. Customs and Border Protection for the opening of Monarch Hall” and that the secretary traveled to Panama, Costa Rica, Honduras and Guatemala for bilateral meetings. Madden said the Panama stop included observing a repatriation flight of migrants from Panama and Colombia and a meeting with the crew of the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Escanaba. In Costa Rica, Madden said, the secretary met with President Rodrigo Chavez, visited the Los Lagos detention facility and signed a joint letter of intent for Costa Rica to become a Global Entry partner. Madden said discussions in Honduras included a biometric data sharing partnership, and that talks in Guatemala covered migration management, law‑enforcement cooperation and regional security.

Madden reiterated a legislative position in his remarks, calling for congressional approval of what he described as “President Trump’s 1 big beautiful bill,” which he said would provide funding for a border wall, increased detention capacity, and more hiring and bonuses for ICE, CBP and Border Patrol personnel.

Madden concluded his remarks with a closing blessing for service members and families. “May God bless our heroes, their families, and the United States of America,” he said.