[ad_1]
The crowdfunding platform GoFundMe said that more than $ 20 million in donations should be repaid after a campaign to raise a billion dollars for the Trump administration to build a wall on the border with Mexico is well below its target. ] The fundraising campaign, which started last month, had become viral. President Trump's attempt to convince Congress to pay for the wall fueled a heated political debate and resulted in the partial closure of the federal government.
More than 325,000 donors had announced in the GoFundMe campaign that an organizer, a Florida veteran, Brian Kolfage, reportedly used President Trump's border wall.
But in a note posted Friday on the campaign's website, Kolfage said the federal government would not be able to accept donations "anytime soon."
In an interview, Kolfage said that donating to the government would have required Congressional approval and that he knew that a Democrat-controlled chamber would not give its approval.
Instead, Mr. Kolfage stated that he had created a non-profit organization based in Florida. the organization called "Building the Wall", which will use donations to fund a private effort to build parts of the wall where private owners allow construction.
GoFundMe donors should proactively choose to reallocate their money to a non-profit organization; otherwise, they would be reimbursed
. Kolfage said that he did not know exactly how many donors would want to redirect their money nor how many owners would like parts of the wall to be built on their properties.
"When Americans see us finishing miles of beautiful walls, we know that Mr. Kolfage said on the updated page of the GoFundMe campaign.
The Department of Homeland Security and the Trump Administration did not respond to requests for comments received late Friday at the address opportunity of an effort funded by private funds for build the wall.
Generally, GoFundMe campaigns can still collect funds even if they do not reach their goal.
But Bobby Whithorne, GoFundMe spokesman, said in a statement Friday The original campaign page of Mr. Kolfage said: "If we do not reach our goal or if we do not get too close, we will pay back every cent "and" 100% of your donations will go to Trump Wall If, for whatever reason, we do not achieve our goal, we will refund your donation. "
Mr Whithorne stated that , since the campaign would not reach the goal of a billion dollars and that GoFundMe and Mr Kolfage had determined that the money collected could not be paid to the federal government, GoFundMe had contacted all campaign donors regarding the repayment
Donors can apply for a refund immediately, said Whithorne, but if they did not choose to reallocate their money to a charity non-profit they re would automatically receive a refund within 90 days.
GoFundMe campaign as a xenophobic result of the fear of immigrants. Some had launched competing fundraising campaigns for the Refugee and Immigrant Aid Center for Education and Legal Services, known as the Raices in Texas.
Jonathan Ryan, president and CEO of Raices, said that despite the change in Kolfage's campaign, initial criticism is still valid.
"It's a difference without change," Mr. Ryan said. "The wall remains the wrong direction for us as a country, which will not contribute to advancing any of our national interests and would only further harm vulnerable refugees and immigrants seeking protection in our country."
This week, Mr. President. Trump appeared on television in an effort to lobby Congress to pay for the border wall, calling the situation at the Mexican border a "humanitarian crisis" exposing the country to crime, drugs and terrorism. .
point out that the number of migrant border crossings has decreased over the past two decades or so. The State Department said in a recent report that there was "no credible evidence" that terrorist groups had sent agents to enter the country through Mexico.
Source link
