Homeland security chief Kristi Noem says the step is aimed at extending the structure’s lifespan and boosting enforcement
US President Donald Trump has ordered the entire southern border wall to be painted black to stop migrants from crossing because it will be too hot to touch, according to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
Speaking near the border in New Mexico on Tuesday, Noem said crews have begun painting sections of the 9-metre (30-foot) steel bollards that make up the barriers. She said the directive came directly from Trump, under the expectation that the dark paint will extend the steel’s lifespan by slowing rust and discourage migrants from climbing the wall by making it unbearably hot under the desert sun.
“We are going to be painting the entire border wall black,” Noem told reporters. Asked about criticism that the practice could make conditions harsher for migrants, she responded: “Don’t touch it. People have a choice.”
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