The border wall fundraiser is already among GoFundMe's top 5 campaigns ever
An Iraq War veteran's growing GoFundMe campaign to help fund President Donald Trump's border wall promise is already historic for the fundraising website – even if it is uncertain whether the money can be used for its goal.
The gridlock and bureaucracy of Washington is part of what sparked Brian Kolfage, a Purple Heart recipient and triple amputee who lives in Florida, to start his GoFundMe page this week.
His goal is to get everyday people to pay for the wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, and it's already reached more than $9 million in contributions as of Thursday at 8:45 p.m. ET.
The reality of the border: A 2,000-mile search for answers
"If the 63 million people who voted for Trump each pledge $80, we can build the wall," the campaign description reads.
However, there's a hitch: Sending money to the government isn't as simple as writing a check to the Department of Homeland Security and asking that it be used for border wall construction.
Congressional approval: Why a GoFundMe campaign that wants to raise money for a border wall isn't that simple
Homeland Security cannot accept the money without the explicit approval of Congress. In its policy, the agency cites a federal law that states "gifts may not be accepted, used, or disposed of unless specifically permitted" by Congress.
Despite the potential legal hurdles, the campaign is one of the largest ever individual fundraisers for GoFundMe. Here's a look at the four other individual campaigns in the top 5 of the online giving site's history:
Stoneman Douglas Victims' Fund
In February 2018, a school shooting in Parkland, Florida killed 17 people. The event birthed the "March For Our Lives" movement, which advocates for an end to gun violence.
The GoFundMe campaign was spearheaded by the Broward Education Foundation, but had support from other local organizations and was advised by the National Center for Victims of Crime. A total of $10.1 million was given directly to victims and families.
The campaign has since been closed.
More: Aerial images from March for Our Lives rallies around the world shows huge turnout
Funds for Humboldt Broncos
In April 2018, a junior hockey team in rural Canada crashed, killing 16 people and injuring 13 players on board. The bus was traveling at about 60 mph when it collided with a semi-trailer in Armley, Saskatchewan.
The GoFundMe campaign was the largest in Canadian history, raising $11.23 million USD. A provincial judge approved for more than $385,000 USD to be given to each of these 16 families lost a loved one and $350,000 to the 13 players who were injured, Global News reported
The campaign has since been closed.
More: Humboldt Broncos junior hockey team makes emotional return from bus crash
Las Vegas Victims' Fund
In October 2017, the largest mass shooting in modern U.S. history took the lives of 59 people. Hundreds more were injured.
Steve Sisolak, then a Clark County, Nevada, commission chairman, launched the campaign to "provide relief and financial support to the victims and families," according to the fundraiser's description. The response was, at the time, the largest ever for a single campaign, bringing in $11.87 million.
Sisolak was elected as Nevada's governor in 2018. The GoFundMe campaign has since been closed.
More: Trump administration bans rapid-fire bump stocks, but a half-million have already been sold
TIME's UP Legal Defense Fund
Created in December 2017 following the rise of the #Metoo movement, the campaign was launched by the National Women's Law Center.
Funding was used to connect those who "experience sexual harassment, abuse or related retaliation in the workplace or trying to advance their careers" with legal and public relations experts, according to the campaign description.
Those professionals were connected through a nationwide network, offering their expertise pro bono or at reduced rates. The campaign has received $22.1 million to date. The fundraising effort remains open to those willing to give.
More: #MeToo was a culture shock. But changing laws will take more than a year.
Contributing: Jessica Estepa and Christal Hayes, USA TODAY. Nate Chute is a producer with the USA Today Network. Follow him on Twitter at @nchute.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: The border wall fundraiser is already among GoFundMe's top 5 campaigns ever
