Kal Penn raises over $360,000 for refugees in response to racist message

Kal Penn transformed a foul message into a powerful response to President Donald Trump’s controversial immigration ban.

On Saturday, an Instagram user wrote a racist remark to the Designated Survivor actor after Trump signed an executive order blocking refugees and immigrants from several Middle Eastern countries from entering the U.S. Penn posted a blurred screenshot of the tweet, which read in part, “you don’t belong here you f—ing joke.”

Penn added on Twitter, “To the dude who said I don’t belong in America, I started a fundraising page for Syrian Refugees in your name.”

The CrowdRise donation page had raised more than $360,000 by 6 p.m. ET on Jan. 29. All the money will go toward supporting the International Rescue Committee.

“We are better than the hateful people who tell us we don’t belong in our own country, that America can’t be a beacon of freedom and hope for refugees from around the world,” a statement on the CrowdRise page reads. “We will turn their bigotry, along with the President’s, into love.”

Penn called Trump “mean-spirited” and “un-American” after the order was first signed. The outcry was widespread and swift as protestors gathered at airports and celebrities denounced the president on social media.

Posting a screenshot of a text message conversation, Penn shared, “My friend Mike just sent this heartbreaking text about his refugee friend. Families are being torn apart. Shame on us. This is un-American.” Read more in the tweet above.