Trump suggests painting US-Mexico border wall black to make it too hot for people to climb over

In the latest on his war against illegal immigration, U.S. President Donald Trump has suggested painting the U.S. Southern border wall black so it becomes too hot for people to climb.

The plan was announced on Aug. 19 by U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who credited Trump for the idea, AP News reported.

Noem said as she helped paint a section of the wall:

"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."

While labelled a "wall", the physical barrier is made up of a series of obstructions, many of which are made of steel and can become scorching under the heat when painted black.

U.S. Border Patrol chief Mike Banks also said the paint has an additional benefit of preventing rust, AP News reported.

Noem added that about half a mile (about 800 metres) of the wall is being added every day, despite the rate of apprehensions for illegal entry at the border reportedly falling to a 60-year low.

The Trump Administration announced on Jul. 15 that there were just over 8,000 nationwide border arrests in June 2025, a "new historic low".

Noem also said the Department of Homeland Security Secretary is considering building "water-borne infrastructure" along the Rio Grande River in Texas, which sits at the intersection of U.S. and Mexico.

The wall

The nearly 3,219km-long wall separates the U.S. from neighbouring Mexico.

Dubbed the "Trump wall", the barrier has become a symbol of Trump's increasingly protectionist agenda.

It was a key promise during his first presidential campaign in 2016, when he falsely claimed Mexico would pay for the building of the wall.

His second term saw a greater shift towards mass deportations of alleged illegal immigrants, though he continued to increase the size of U.S. troops at the border to 7,600 soldiers.

He also pledged to continue expanding the wall to cover the entire border during his 2025 inauguration, and allocated additional funding for further expansion and 3,000 more border patrol agents as part of his "Big Beautiful Bill".

Top images via Google Maps & The White House/Facebook