Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has introduced a new, low-cost strategy to deter illegal border crossings: painting the southern border wall black. The decision, made at the request of former President Donald Trump, aims to make the wall too hot to climb under the desert sun. Noem demonstrated the method herself in Santa Teresa, New Mexico, highlighting the wall’s physical barriers and its new heat-based deterrent.

At a press conference, Noem explained the dual purpose of the paint—both to protect the steel structure from rust and to create a thermal barrier that makes climbing more difficult. The idea was first introduced during Trump’s first term in Calexico, California, but was later abandoned to accelerate construction. With border crossings now at historic lows, the strategy has been revived.

Trump’s new $46.5 billion funding bill supports the wall’s completion and upgrades it with surveillance tools, including cameras, sensors, and five high-tech towers in the Del Rio Sector. These enhancements aim to aid Border Patrol in detecting and apprehending “gotaways”—individuals who evade capture.

Results on the ground suggest significant impact. In the El Paso sector, daily apprehensions have dropped dramatically, from 2,300 at the height of the 2023 crisis to just 41. Interim Chief Patrol Agent Walter Slosar attributes this to the combined effect of physical and technological improvements.

Noem hailed the progress, claiming the U.S. now has the most secure border in its history. Trump echoed the sentiment on Truth Social, praising Texas for achieving the lowest illegal crossing numbers ever recorded. Republican lawmakers also voiced support for the strategy, calling it a practical and humane alternative to harsher methods.

While Democrats have criticized the black paint as unnecessary and cruel, public reaction has been largely positive, with many seeing it as a simple, effective solution to a complex issue.