Devarjaye “DJ” Daniel, the 13-year-old boy who survived brain cancer after undergoing dozens of surgeries and originally facing a terminal diagnosis. was made, on Thursday, May 15, an honorary member of another law-enforcement agency: the United States Customs and Border Patrol.
As background, DJ Daniel was previously made an honorary Secret Service agent and is the boy for whom Democrats would not clap during President Trump’s 2025 Address to Congress. He has been sworn in as an honorary officer at over a thousand law enforcement agencies and police departments across America.
27th Border Patrol Chief Michael W. Banks took to X (formerly Twitter) to announce that DJ had been made an honorary agent, saying, “Welcome our new honorary Border Patrol Agent Devarjaye “DJ” Daniel. DJ is an unstoppable force and a true inspiration. We know he will exemplify our motto of ‘Honor First’.” Check out his post and the sweet images posted alongside it here:
Commenters on Chief Banks’s post loved it, leaving messages of praise and support like “I thought I was finished crying for the day, but then I saw this. This brave young man is so deserving of this honor. Thank you!” and “Honor First! Way to go DJ & USBP! Keep it up, & you’re doing great!”
The “Rapid Response 47” X account, an official White House account, described the background of DJ’s award of honorary membership in the Secret Service. It said, “13-year-old D.J. Daniel was diagnosed with brain cancer and given five months to live — and that was six years ago. Since then, D.J. and his dad have been on a quest to make his dream come true — and tonight, President Trump made him an honorary member of the Secret Service.”
President Trump, for his part, said, “Joining us in the gallery tonight is a young man who truly loves our police. He has always dreamed of becoming a police officer. But in 2018, DJ was diagnosed with brain cancer. The doctors gave him five months at most to live. That was more than six years ago. Since that time, DJ and his dad have been on a quest to make his dream come true.”
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It was during that sweet moment that the Democrats largely refused to stand and clap. Watch the incident here:
After that, on March 19, DHS Director Noem showed DJ around the Secret Service’s Training Center. The press release on that visit said, in part, “There were plenty of smiles at the Secret Service training facility during DJ’s March 19 visit. Following the graduation and lunch, the Daniels visited a garage and driving pad where special agents and uniformed officers train to operate emergency vehicles. Secret Service Director Sean Curran talks to DJ Daniel and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem about ‘The Beast.; They also saw the president’s limousine, known as the Beast. Dressed in his signature Houston Police Department uniform, DJ took pictures beside the famous limousine with Director Curran and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem.”
Continuing, the press release said, “From there, they were given an inside look at the Special Operations Division, which provides tactical support for the Secret Service’s protective details. DJ was handed a heavy ballistic vest and attempted to pick it up several times before handing it back to the officer, who was equipped in full gear.”
It further added, commenting on the cool things the Daniels got to see, “The Daniels then were asked to participate in a demonstration of the agency’s different canine divisions. Specially trained dogs that detect explosives and others used to detect, disrupt, and deter potential threats were on hand. The weapons lab was next on the tour. The Daniels were shown numerous devices that Secret Service agents and uniformed officers use in their duties, as well as others they need to look for when screening guests at the White House and elsewhere.”
Featured image credit: Chief Banks on X