Trump plans to paint Southern border wall black to make it hotter and harder to climb | 19 Aug 2025 | The border wall separating the United States and Mexico is being painted black to make it too hot for migrants to climb. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem revealed the project was a specific request from Donald Trump as the president celebrated "ZERO releases" of illegal migrants into the country. "In the hot temperatures down here, when something is painted black it gets even warmer," Noem said during a press conference in front of the wall on Tuesday. She noted the structure is already hard to climb and near impossible to dig under, but said Trump's latest measure will help to secure the American border even further... The black paint, in addition to making the wall so hot to the touch that migrants will not be able to grip onto it, will have a dual purpose of protecting the steel from rust.