U.S.-Mexico border fence to be painted black as deterrent

SAN DIEGO (FOX5/KUSI)--A new paint job is in store for the fence along the U.S.-Mexico border.

The Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, announced the mission to paint the fence along the U.S.-Mexico border black to deter people from climbing it and to address wear and tear.

“The President specifically recognized that black gets hotter in this weather and in this heat," Noem said during a press conference Tuesday. "When you touch something that is hot during these kinds of temperatures, it is very difficult to climb it, to touch it, to handle it."

In July, President Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act was passed, which allocated $46.6 billion toward border wall construction.

“We don’t know how many people are climbing the border wall, but we do usually see border wall ladders thrown about," Pedro Ríos of the American Friends Service Committee said.

Ríos and the American Friends Service Committee have worked with migrants along the San Diego border for decades. He said people are climbing the border wall to seek refuge after leaving difficult situations in their home countries.

“It’s another feature of seeking to create a condition where people that are climbing it could be harmed because it’ll be hotter to the touch," Ríos said.

Ríos also said he doesn’t think it will serve as a significant deterrent.

“However, it will not likely have a direct impact or much of an impact on people who are intending to cross," Ríos said. "The smuggling networks are always getting smart ideas about how to cross the U.S.–Mexico border, including maybe using gloves to prevent them burning their hands."

Ríos said he thinks the administrations should try a more humanitarian approach.

"How do we create mechanisms to secure that people’s humanitarian and human rights are respected and not cause conditions that will create greater harm and suffering for people," Ríos said.