Haitian Nonprofit Seek Criminal Charges Against Trump, JD Vance For Pushing Springfield Conspiracy Theory
(AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura, File)
A Haitian nonprofit is seeking criminal charges to be filed against former President Donald Trump and running mate Senator JD Vance (R-OH) on Tuesday, alleging that in pushing false claims that the immigrant community in Springfield, Ohio, was a threat to public safety, the pair had caused widespread fear and disruption.
In recent weeks, despite denials from the city and state officials himself, Trump and Vance amplified the bizarre and controversial rumor that Haitian immigrants were eating people’s pets in a bid to attack Vice President Kamala Harris’s immigration record. In the time since the city has been subjected to dozens of bomb threats and become the epicenter of a national debate on immigration.
The charges, submitted by the Haitian Bridge Alliance, seek to hold both men on the Republican ticket accountable for the town’s turmoil.
The group’s lead counsel Subodh Chandra told Fox8: “We want the judge to issue arrest warrants for Trump and Vance immediately, there is probable cause.”
He continued: “The Haitian community is suffering in fear because of Trump and Vance’s relentless, irresponsible, false alarms, and public services have been disrupted. Trump and Vance must be held accountable to the rule of law. Anyone else who wreaked havoc the way they did would have been arrested by now.”
“The Haitian community is suffering in fear because of Trump and Vance’s relentless, irresponsible false alarms,” the lawyer added.
The charges argue that the two politicians repeatedly made inflammatory statements about Haitian immigrants during rallies and interviews, falsely portraying them as a threat to public safety. According to Chandra, Trump and Vance’s rhetoric not only alarmed residents but also resulted in massive disruptions to local public services.
The formal charges filed include disrupting public service, making false alarms, telecommunications harassment, and aggravated menacing. One accusation involves Trump’s vow to deport immigrants, even those legally residing in the U.S., to Venezuela, a country many have never known. The nonprofit alleges these statements were made with the intent to “abuse, threaten, or harass” the community.
Responding to the legal action, Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung said in a statement: “President Trump is rightfully highlighting the failed immigration system… President Trump will secure our border and put an end to the chaos that illegal immigration brings.”
Springfield’s municipal court are still to decide whether the charges will be pursued.
Note – this post has been updated since publication to better reflect the story at hand.
