Featured Image Credit: MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images
Topics: Donald Trump, Politics, US News, News, World News
Rhiannon Ingle
Topics: Donald Trump, Politics, US News, News, World News
Since his inauguration back in January, it soon became extremely apparent that mass deportation was going to be the central focus of his hardline immigration policy.
And, as we know, building the Mexico border wall was a massive part of his first term with Homeland Security now reported to receive around $46 billion to complete it as part of the 'Big, Beautiful Bill' the 79-year-old Republican signed in July.
Just yesterday (19 August), Trump headed to Truth Social to boast about how historically low border crossings had been in that same month, writing: "CONGRATULATIONS TEXAS! The July Border Statistics are in and, once again, they are the LOWEST RECORDED NUMBERS IN UNITED STATES HISTORY. The U.S. Border Patrol reported ZERO releases of Illegal Aliens into the Country."
Despite such 'record numbers', it's not stopped the Trump administration from carrying out Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids across the country with a number of campaigns released by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem warning: "If you come to our country and you break our laws, we will hunt you down."
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Noem has also recently revealed the reason as to why Trump 'specifically requested' that the Mexican border wall be painted black.
During a press conference yesterday, she revealed that both the height and depth of the wall are ways to deter individuals from going over or under, adding that Homeland Security would be using black paint on the wall in order to make the metal hotter.
"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," Noem explained.
She added: "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 a Homeland Security Department spokesperson would not confirm how much the paint job would cost, they did tell The Independent: "With the OBBB [One Big Beautiful Bill] we will be able to finish the border wall system started under President Trump’s first term."
The statement concluded: "Due to an active procurement process to finish the wall it would be irresponsible to the American taxpayer to release the numbers as it may impact future bids."
Trump's hardline approach regarding the border wall has been criticised by many civilians and fellow political figures alike including California Governor, Gavin Newsom, who tweeted yesterday: "Forget the southern border, the strongest wall Trump’s ever built is his bronzer line."