Noem: Trump wants border wall painted black so it is too hot to climb

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Tuesday that President Trump wants the U.S.-Mexico border wall to be painted black so that it would be too hot for migrants to climb over. 

“Now, if you look at the structure that's behind me, it's tall, which makes it very, very difficult to climb, almost impossible. It also goes deep into the ground, which would make it very difficult, if not impossible, to dig under. And today, we are also going to be painting it black. That is specifically at the request of the 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,” Noem said during a press conference in Santa Teresa, N.M.

Trump signed the "big, beautiful bill” into law last month, which provided $165 billion to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), with the majority of the funds going toward securing the southern border and deporting migrants who are in the country illegally. Out of the total sum, $46.5 billion was included for the construction of the new border wall, parts of which were starting to be built during the president’s first White House term. 

The DHS chief said the wall would be getting a makeover by adding more “technology, cameras, sensors.” 

The president also wanted to paint the border wall black during his first term.

Noem said the change would help encourage migrants not to come into the U.S. without authorization, "but that they will abide and come to our country the right way, so that they can stay and have the opportunity to become United States citizens and pursue the American dream.” 

She added, “I remember that a nation without borders is no nation at all, and we're so thankful that we have a president that understands that and understands that a secure border is important to our country's future."