A seven-year-old boy from Austin, Texas, has managed to raise more than $22,000 by selling hot chocolate to help fund a section of the border wall at the US-Mexico border, the local news station KOAT reports.
A Facebook video showed Benton Stevens and his dad Shane showcasing the hot chocolate stand in front of a shopping complex, where they were selling a cup for $2 in February.
READ MORE: The Wall: Cracks Deepening in US Admin. Over Trump's Tough Border Policy – Prof.
“Proceeds help [US President Donald] Trump build the wall”, a sign in front of the boy's stand read.
Benton reportedly said he was inspired to raise the money for the US President because he “saw that Trump really wanted to build a wall”.
Remember hearing about the seven-year old boy in Austin, who set up a hot chocolate stand last winter to raise money for the border wall? He's back, with a twist. https://t.co/TOcK8efcSg
— KTRH News (@ktrhnews) 3 июня 2019 г.
The boy added that although he is already pleased with the $22,000, he plans to raise a total of $50,000 for the project by selling soft drinks.
“Since it’s about to be summer. I’m doing lemonade”, Benton told KOAT.
In 2015, Trump campaigned on a pledge to build an “impenetrable and beautiful” wall along the entire 3,150-kilometre-long Mexico border in addition to the existing structures to stop illegal migrants from crossing into the United States.
READ MORE: DoD's $1 Billion for Trump's Border Wall a 'Fluke', Not a Victory — Prof
Differences with Democratic lawmakers resulted in a month-long partial shutdown of government agencies. Trump ended the shutdown in late January, declaring a national emergency at the southern border three weeks later in a move that enabled him to divert military funds toward the wall project. The US President is seeking to build some 643 kilometres (400 miles) of border wall by next year.
