• Trump administration dictates that the US-Mexico border wall be painted black.
• This decision aims to make the wall too hot to climb, deterring illegal crossings.
• Secretary Noem cites a request from President Trump for this specific modification.
• Funding for wall construction and enhancements includes $46 billion allocated recently.
• Recent months have seen significant reductions in illegal border crossings.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced that the entire U.S.-Mexico border wall will be painted black, a move intended to make it "too hot for migrants to climb." Speaking at a press conference in Santa Teresa, New Mexico, Noem emphasized that this initiative stems directly from a request by President Trump. "When something is painted black... it gets even warmer and it will make it even harder for people to climb," she stated, highlighting the wall's height and depth as additional deterrents against illegal crossings, according to The Hill.

Trump's "Big, Beautiful Bill," signed last month, allocated approximately $165 billion to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), with around $46 billion designated for the wall's construction. The goal is to enhance border security while also incorporating advanced technology such as cameras and sensors, as stated by Secretary Noem. This effort to shore up the southern border includes plans to fortify sections and combat rust on the steel structures through the application of black paint, according to India Times and CBS News.

Reports indicate that arrests along the southern border have dropped dramatically, with the number falling to around 6,000 in June, indicating a 92% reduction year-on-year. Noem referenced this decline as proof that the current strategies, which include the forthcoming painting of the wall, are effective deterrents against illegal entries. The administration plans to continue filling in gaps along the nearly 2,000-mile border, bolstering both physical and technological border defenses, as cited by South China Morning Post and BBC.