Trump wants black wall at Mexico border to keep out migrants

Work has already begun in Santa Teresa, New Mexico, where US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem personally inspected a small section of the fence.

According to her, workers are painting the steel posts that make up the barrier black.

The secretary stated that this directive came directly from Trump, based on the expectation that the dark paint would extend the lifespan of the steel by slowing rusting, as well as deter migrants from attempting to climb over the wall by making it unbearably hot under the sun.

“We are going to be painting the entire border wall black,” Noem told reporters.

When asked about the fact that such a practice could make conditions for migrants even harsher, she replied: “Don’t touch it. People have a choice.”

So far, it has not been specified how much the project will cost and how long it will take to paint the entire wall.

Wall construction

In the El Paso sector, which covers the western part of Texas and all of New Mexico, about nine migrants now cross the border daily, while a year ago this figure reached 400 per day, and in 2023, the number was 2,300.

Despite the decrease in the number of violators, the administration continues construction of the wall, filling gaps in Santa Teresa, where about seven miles of new barriers are being installed.

Trump and cartels

At his inauguration in January, Trump announced the decision to designate cartels as international terrorist organizations.

In April, the US president issued an executive order to expand control on federal lands near the border and considered drone strikes on Mexican cartels.

The United States is now deploying more than 4,000 Marines and sailors in Latin America and the Caribbean to neutralize threats from drug cartels.