Donald Trump turned 72 on Thursday, and instead of getting him a fancy, fruit-topped cake or two scoops of ice cream (his favourite), Chrissy Teigen and John Legend donated $288,000 ($72,000 per family member) to the ACLU to "Make Trump's Birthday Great Again".
The generous gift is in direct response to the United States policy, initiated by Attorney General Jeff Sessions, to separate migrant children from their families as a punishment for crossing the border illegally.
"John and I are outraged to see and hear the horror stories of immigrant families seeking asylum and refuge in America being ripped apart due to the inhumane policies of the Trump administration," Teigen wrote in a statement released on Twitter. "These actions are cruel, anti-family and go against everything we believe this country should represent."
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Teigen, who just welcomed her second child, Miles, weeks ago, explained that her family chose to donate to the ACLU because they believe it "is committed to defending the rights and humanity of these vulnerable families".
"In addition to fighting for immigrants' rights, they're advocating for reproductive rights, voting rights, criminal justice reform, LGBT rights, 1st amendment rights and holding the Trump administration accountable whenever possible," she continued.
happy birthday, @realDonaldTrump pic.twitter.com/BWEgRAcdPX
— christine teigen (@chrissyteigen) June 14, 2018
Teigen and Legend's joint donation couldn't have come at a better time. Recent, disturbing reporting has revealed that the US government is holding migrant children taken from their parents in shelters. Some who have been to these so-called "shelters" said they felt like prisons. In an exclusive report, McClatchy wrote the government is even eyeing a new property in Texas with the capacity to hold up to 5,000 kids as the demands for more space continue to grow.
At the end of her message, Teigen encouraged fans to donate "$7.20, $72 or whatever you like" to the ACLU. Should you be interested in contributing to another organisation, here's a list of organisations dedicated to helping families impacted by the Department of Justice's policies.