President Donald Trump has unveiled a new initiative aimed at strengthening the southern border wall.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem visited a section of the wall in New Mexico on Tuesday, Aug. 19, to introduce an aesthetic modification that the Trump administration says will help deter illegal immigration.
Noem praised the current border wall, describing it as “difficult to climb, almost impossible,” and “very difficult, if not impossible, to dig under.” She added that President Trump had a new idea to further enhance its security.
“We are also going to be painting it black,” Noem said. “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.”
“So, we are going to be painting the entire southern border wall black to make sure that we encourage individuals to not come into our country illegally, to not break our federal laws,” she continued, “but [to] 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.”
U.S. Border Patrol Chief Mike Banks, who also attended the event, noted that the paint would help prevent rust on the wall.
This strategy is not new. In 2019, Trump ordered portions of the wall to be painted black to increase surface temperatures. However, a 2022 visit by The Washington Post to a section near Sasabe, Ariz., found the paint peeling less than 18 months later.
Despite that, Noem emphasized that the updated black paint is the deterrent needed to secure the Mexican border.
“Remember that a nation without borders is no nation at all,” she said, before taking a paint roller and helping to paint a section of the wall while cameras recorded.
“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.”
The Mexican border wall was a major focus of Trump’s first administration. When he left office in 2021, he left behind unfinished contracts and materials, including free-standing wall sections that could be bypassed.
In his second term, ICE raids and mass deportation have become central to Trump’s immigration strategy. The “Big, Beautiful Bill,” passed by Congress in July, allocated $46 billion for Customs and Border Protection to continue construction on the border wall and other barriers, according to CBS News.
Other enforcement measures under the second Trump administration include the creation of two National Defense Areas covering about 230 miles along the border in New Mexico and Texas.
These zones, established by the U.S. military, were highlighted by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth in April, who said that “any illegal attempting to enter this zone is entering a military base, a federally protected area,” and can be detained by both CBP and the Department of Defense.
