Some U.S. troops deployed to the border by the Trump administration have been assigned painting duty for the next month, CBS News reported.
According to an email sent by the Department of Homeland Security to Congress and obtained by CBS, the goal is to improve the “aesthetic appearance” of parts of the border wall in California.
“While the primary purpose is to improve the aesthetic appearance of the wall, there may also be an operational benefit based on our experience with painted barrier in Nogales, Arizona,” the email said, according to CBS. DHS said the painted wall makes it easier for border patrol agents to confront “camouflaging tactics” of migrants attempting to cross the border illegally.
Democrats like Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) are calling the assignment a “disgraceful misuse” of taxpayer money and the military.
DHS informed Congress today that troops are going to spend the next month painting the border wall & “the primary purpose is to improve the aesthetic appearance.” A disgraceful misuse of taxpayer $$. Our military has more important work to do than making Trump’s wall beautiful.
— Senator Dick Durbin (@SenatorDurbin) June 5, 2019
