TUCSON, Ariz. — While the fight over border wall funding will apparently lead to a partial shut down of the federal government, political supporters of President Donald Trump are taking matters into their own hands.
A viral crowdfunding effort on for a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border has raised $11 million
By Friday morning at around 11:30 a.m. ET, a GoFundMe page titled "We The People Will Fund The Wall" passed $11 million from nearly 200,000 donors.
The funds were raised in just five days — but the campaign is just at just 1 percent of its $1 billion goal. If the current pace of donations continue, the campaign would hit its goal in May of 2020.
The campaign was started by Brian Kolfage, a triple amputee veteran and outspoken supporter of President Trump. While his GoFundMe page states that he has reached out to the Trump Administration in order to "secure a point of contact where all the funds will go upon completion," the White House has not yet publicly commented on the GoFundMe Campaign.
Kolfage is able to keep every donation he receives, regardless if he reaches his goal. Donations are currently being sent to his GoFundMe account, though he asks that check be made payable to "WeFund The Wall"
While it is true that some federal agencies will accept donations earmarked for specific projects, it unclear if the Department of Homeland Security would allow for such a donation.
"I think it’s admirable, and I think that the country should respond ... obviously, we can’t let citizens raise money and say, ‘The government will spend my money on this purpose.’" Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) told the New York Post .
According to GoFundMe's year-end report , which was compiled before the border wall fundraiser, only three fundraisers still raised more money: the Stoneman Douglas Victims' Fund, a fund for the victims of a hockey team's tragic bus accident earlier this year and the Time's Up Legal Defense Fund. Those previous three campaigns met their fundraising goals.
So far, the White House hasn't commented on the fundraising effort.
