The Haitian Bridge Alliance, a nonprofit immigrant advocacy group, has filed a complaint seeking criminal charges against former President Donald Trump and Ohio Senator JD Vance, claiming that the Republican presidential duo has incited threats and harassment against the Haitian population of Springfield, Ohio. The complaint filed on Tuesday with the Clark County Municipal Court argues that Trump and Vance have deliberately advanced claims of migrants killing and eating pets in the city—claims that Ohio officials have contradicted and debunked.
According to the document, the HBA and the community it represents are invoking private-citizen rights to file charges given the perceived lack of actions by local prosecutors.
“Like those who falsely shout ‘fire!’ in a crowded theater, Trump and Vance do not color within the lines of the First Amendment. They commit criminal acts,” the HBA said.
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“HBA filed this criminal charge to hold Trump and Vance accountable for the devastating harm they caused our community in Springfield and has impacted Haitians around the United States,” HBA Executive Director Guerline Jozef continued in a separate statement. “Thirty-three bomb threats have been alleged across Springfield within the last two weeks. Hospitals, schools, universities, and government offices were all evacuated after receiving racially charged threats. Springfield government officials and their families received threats. Trump and Vance’s lies have harmed the Springfield community, and their lies have violated criminal law.”
Trump and Vance are accused of disrupting public services, making false alarms, telecommunications harassment, aggravated menacing, and complicity, stemming from the aforementioned bomb threats that prompted closures of Springfield schools and government buildings. The full charges are as follows:
- Disrupted public service “by causing widespread bomb and other threats that resulted in massive disruptions” to Springfield’s public services
- Made false alarms “by knowingly causing alarm in the Springfield community by continuing to repeat lies that state and local officials have said were false”
- Committed telecommunications harassment “by spreading claims they know to be false during the presidential debate, campaign rallies, nationally televised interviews, and social media”
- Committed aggravated menacing “by knowingly making intimidating statements with the intent to abuse, threaten, or harass the recipients, including Trump’s threat to deport immigrants who are here legally to Venezuela, a land they have never known”
- Committed aggravated menacing “by knowingly causing others to falsely believe that members of Springfield’s Haitian community would cause serious physical harm to the person or property of others in Springfield”
- Violated the prohibition against complicity “by conspiring with one another and spreading vicious lies that caused innocent parties to be parties to their various crimes”
Local Haitian communities also report incidents of harassment and threats of violence, and Springfield Mayor Rob Rue reportedly received a number of death threats.
The filing does not mean that the Republican candidates have been charged, but rather that the HBA is requesting the court to either file the charges on their behalf or refer it to a district attorney.
Steven Cheung, communications director for the Trump-Vance campaign, said, “President Trump is rightfully highlighting the failed immigration system that (Vice President) Kamala Harris has overseen, bringing thousands of illegal immigrants pouring into communities like Springfield and many others across the country.”
Connor Walcott is a staff writer for Valuetainment.com. Follow Connor on X and look for him on VT’s “The Unusual Suspects.”
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