GoFundMe Border Wall Campaign Continues To Grow, Inching Closer to $19 Million
Congressional Democrats do not want to fund President Donald Trump’s Border Wall, but over 300,000 American citizens do.
A GoFundMe page created on Dec. 16 by Brian Kolfage of Miramar, Florida, has raised more than 18.6 million in 16 days, according to the page.
Kolfage is a triple amputee who was injured in 2004 during the Iraq War. On his page titled “We The People Will Fund The Wall,” he explains why he began his effort, which has a goal of $1 billion.
“Like a majority of those American citizens who voted to elect President Donald J Trump, we voted for him to Make America Great Again. President Trump’s main campaign promise was to BUILD THE WALL. And as he’s followed through on just about every promise so far, this wall project needs to be completed still,” he wrote.
“As a veteran who has given so much, 3 limbs, I feel deeply invested to this nation to ensure future generations have everything we have today. Too many Americans have been murdered by illegal aliens and too many illegals are taking advantage of the United States taxpayers with no means of ever contributing to our society,” wrote Kolfage.
Kolfage said he acted because politicians either could not or would not, according to the Arizona Republic.
“I was frustrated with our political leaders and what they’re doing – their broken promises and dragging things on,” he said.
“I thought having the GoFundMe would allow people to come together on the internet to show support for what they wanted. Raising this kind of money shows how important this is and that people want to support it.”
Kolfage expected support, but not at the level he has received.
“I knew it would be big, but never that fast,” he said. “It just ignited.”
In its reporting on the GoFundMe effort, the Atlanta Journal Constitution said Kolfage’s page has brought in the second-highest amount of money of any page in 2018. The top cause, it said, was a legal defense fund for sexual assault victims linked to the #MeToo movement.
“Americans are putting their money where their mouth is,” Kolfage told The New York Times. “They’re willing to put money down to show politicians this is what they want.”
The page makes it clear who Kolfage holds responsible. Congressional Democrats, he wrote would “rather see President Trump fail, than see America succeed.”
Kolfage said there is a vast difference between legal and illegal immigration. Legal immigrants, he said, are good for the country.
“They came here the right way,” he explained. “They came through the front door. They did everything correctly and that’s what America is all about.”
Kolfage said the wall is the right answer to the immigration problem.
“People see the GoFundMe and they call me racist. It’s not about the wall, but it’s about the people on the outside and the inside,” he said.
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