PHILADELPHIA, PA – June 11, 2025 – Two Middle East Forum (MEF) writing fellows have been appointed to senior positions in the administration of President Donald Trump. Todd Bensman, an MEF Milstein Writing Fellow prior to his appointment, was named Senior Advisor for Border Security at the Department of Homeland Security. Joseph Humire, who served as an MEF Writing Fellow, was appointed as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense Integration and Defense Support of Civil Authorities.
Bensman served as Senior National Security Fellow at the Center for Immigration Studies. An award-winning journalist with stints at the Dallas Morning News and CBS, he covered national security topics across 25 countries for over two decades. He also led intelligence efforts for nine years at the Texas Department of Public Safety’s Intelligence and Counterterrorism Division. At MEF, Bensman drew on his extensive field research in Latin America and the Middle East to analyze the infiltration of Islamist terrorists through America’s unsecured borders.
Humire, a globally recognized expert on Latin American immigration and security, is a U.S. Marine veteran and executive director of the Center for a Secure Free Society. He contributed to MEF through strategic investigations of Iran’s influence in the Americas and the role of non-state actors like Hezbollah. As an MEF Fellow, Humire’s work focused on countering Islamist networks in Latin America, with research highlighting the intersection of regional instability and global security threats.
In Washington, Bensman will focus on shaping and implementing policies, strategies, and initiatives to enhance security along U.S. borders. Operating under the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Global Security, Humire will oversee policy related to homeland defense and the Department of Defense’s support to civilian authorities during domestic emergencies or crises.
“The appointments of Bensman and Humire underscore their commitment to fostering rigorous, policy-relevant research that informs decision-making at the highest levels,” said Gregg Roman, MEF’s executive director. “Both fellows’ work with MEF exemplified the organization’s mission to promote American interests through pragmatic, security-focused solutions.”
The Middle East Forum, a non-profit organization founded in 1994 by Daniel Pipes, promotes American interests and Western values in the Middle East. MEF accomplishes its mission through intellectual and activist efforts. For more information, visit www.meforum.org.
For immediate release:
For more information, contact:
Gregg Roman
roman@meforum.org
+1 (215) 546 5406
