Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said on Aug. 19 that President Donald Trump has requested that the entire wall along the U.S.–Mexico border be painted black in order to deter illegal crossings.

Speaking to reporters in New Mexico, Noem said the border wall is being built tall and extended deep underground to prevent any breaches and that the metal would be painted black to make it even more difficult to climb.

“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,” she said.

“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, to not break our federal laws.”

Noem noted that cameras and sensors would be installed in the future to enhance security at the border. She said the Department of Homeland Security also plans to build “water-borne infrastructure.”

“Construction right now is at the pace of a little bit less than a half a mile a day, and the border wall will look very different based on the topography and the geography of where it is built,” she said.

Trump declared a national emergency at the southern border after taking office for a second term on Jan. 20, directing the deployment of armed forces to assist with border security efforts.

There were 25,228 total encounters nationwide in June, down from 29,478 in May, marking the lowest monthly total ever recorded by Customs and Border Protection, the agency stated.

Border Patrol apprehensions nationwide also dropped to a historic low, with 8,024 apprehensions recorded, compared with 10,357 in May, according to the agency.