According to reports, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem announced that the southern border wall with Mexico will be painted entirely black to increase its temperature under intense sunlight, making it more difficult to climb and further deter illegal crossings.
At a press conference in front of a section of the border wall near Santa Teresa, New Mexico, Noem stated that the plan to paint approximately 1,120 kilometers of the U.S.-Mexico border wall black was personally ordered by the President. The administration also plans to expand the border wall and strengthen border control.
According to Noem, black paint will become extremely hot in high temperatures, making it difficult for potential illegal crossers to climb. She said: “Look at the structure behind me. It is tall, very very difficult to climb, almost impossible to cross. It also extends deep underground, making it equally difficult to tunnel beneath. Now, we will also paint it black.”
She emphasized: “This is a special request from the President, who believes that in hot weather, the black surface will absorb more heat, making climbing even more difficult. Therefore, we will paint the entire southern border wall black to block people from entering illegally.”
Additionally, Noem stated that painting it black can also prevent the steel structure from rusting. The administration plans to equip the border wall with technical devices including cameras and sensors.
The total cost of the black painting project has not been announced. Previously, a large tax and spending bill passed by Congress allocated $46.5 billion for border wall construction. Furthermore, during the President’s first term, he preferred to paint the border wall’s pillars “pure black” to absorb heat and make them too hot to climb. He also once requested the installation of spikes on top of the wall.
