+

Cookies on the Business Insider India website

Business Insider India has updated its Privacy and Cookie policy. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the better experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we\'ll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies on the Business Insider India website. However, you can change your cookie setting at any time by clicking on our Cookie Policy at any time. You can also see our Privacy Policy.

Close
HomeQuizzoneWhatsappShare Flash Reads
 

A GoFundMe campaign is fundraising to pay for the border wall - and it has already raised more than $750k

Dec 20, 2018, 00:57 IST

A supporter of President Donald Trump hold up a sign that reads &quotFinish the Wall" during a rally at the IX Center, in Cleveland, Monday, Nov. 5, 2018.Carolyn Kaster/AP Photo

Advertisement
  • A GoFundMe campaign set up by a triple-amputee veteran is fundraising to pay for the border wall.
  • The campaign has already raised more than $750,000 in two days.
  • The man behind the campaign, Brian Kolfage, promised to funds will be held until the campaign can ensure all the money goes toward paying for the border wall.

It's been two years since Donald Trump won the presidential election after aggressively promising to build a wall in the U.S.-Mexico border. Since that hasn't happened yet - and is, apparently, causing some trouble in Capitol Hill - some Americans are taking matters in their own hands.

U.S. Air Force Veteran Brian Kolfage set up a GoFundMe campaign on Monday asking for supporters to pitch in to pay for the wall. In 48 hours, the campaign has already received more than $750,000 in donations. More than 11,400 supporters have donated. At one point in Wednesday, the campaign was raising $1,000 each minute.

"If the 63 million people who voted for Trump each pledge $80, we can build the wall," the campaign's GoFundMe page reads. "That equates to roughly 5Billion Dollars [sic], even if we get half, that's half the wall. We can do this."

In the campaign's description, Kolfage - a triple-amputee who was severely injured during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2004 - wrote that he feels "deeply invested to this nation to ensure future generations have everything we have today." Kolfage also claims, albeit incorrectly, that too many "illegals are taking advantage of the United States taxpayers with no means of ever contributing to our society."

Advertisement

Read more: Mississippi congressman proposes crowdfunding border wall through 'border bonds'

The campaign description also clarifies that the fundraising efforts are currently capped at $1 billion because that is GoFundMe's maximum fundraising limit. Kolfage said he's working with the company to change that.

This is the latest effort by conservative Americans to find a way to fundraise for the wall, which President Trump has been having a hard time securing funds for. Just this week, Republican Representative Steve Palazzo introduced a bill that would allow Americans to buy "border bonds" to raise the $5 billion Trump is asking for for the wall.

Kolfage makes a reference to Palazzo's plan in his campaign's description, saying it is "one option" for the funds raised, adding that "there are others on the table being discussed." As the fundraiser nears $1 million, Kolfage said in the post that "every single penny" will be refunded if the campaign doesn't reach its goal.

INSIDER has reached out to Kolfage and will update this story when we hear back from him.

Advertisement
Next Article