The US is to paint the entire southern border wall with Mexico black to make the metal hotter and make it harder for migrants to climb.
US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem visited Santa Teresa, New Mexico, on Tuesday to announce the measure.
She said the black paint idea was specifically at the request of the US President, “who understands that in the hot temperatures down here, when something is painted black, it gets even warmer and it will make it even harder for people to climb,” she said.
“We are going to be painting the entire southern border wall black,” she added. Later, she picked up a roller brush to help out.
She later posted on X that since Donald Trump began his second term in office “we got to work” to tackle the “worst border crisis in history”.
“Today, that crisis isn’t just under control – it’s been obliterated. This wall is part of the difference. Too high to climb. Too narrow to squeeze through.
“And now, at the President’s direction, it will be painted black – so hot to the touch that criminal illegal aliens won’t even try.”
As part of Mr Trump’s “big, beautiful bill”, his signature spending and tax policy, $46bn (£33bn) has been allocated for completing the border wall.
According to the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the length of the southern border with Mexico is approximately 1,954 miles (3,144km) and uses a range of construction materials, including an 18-30ft high steel bollard wall, metal fencing and concrete walls.
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The president has made mass deportations one of his main priorities since assuming office and pledging a crackdown on people crossing the southern border.
In July, illegal crossings dropped to the lowest level ever recorded, according to the CBP.
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Nationwide, the number of suspected migrants detained fell 90% compared with the same month in 2024, while on the southern border, the figure was down 92%.
“CBP shut down illegal crossings again this month, setting enforcement records and collecting billions in tariffs. This is what making America great and safe again looks like,” said CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott in a statement.
