If you've been on Facebook over the past week you've probably seen the viral campaigns to raise money for immigrant families separated at the border.
Even Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has contributed to the cause.
Tens of thousands of people are donating to various charities, so we set out to VERIFY if the fundraisers were real and how the money is actually going to help the families.
The fundraisers are hoping to change what is happening in Texas and the U.S.-Mexico border as children are being separated from parents for weeks or months. 11Alive tracked down the recipients of one of the biggest fundraisers and confirmed they're getting the donations.
RAICES (Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services) is a non-profit group in Texas that has been working with immigrant families for years. RAICES said more than $10 million has been raised.
RAICES said all the funds go to bail out families and pay for lawyers. The minimum bail is $1,500 but it's usually set closer to $5,000 to $10,000 so families remain in detention centers for months, unable to afford bail.
It is also working to ensure legal representation for every child in Texas immigration courts.
So, are these fund-raisers real and does the money go to help families torn apart?
We verified and it is true.
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