Haitian nonprofit files criminal charges against Trump and Vance over Springfield hate speech

Springfield, OH — A California-based Haitian nonprofit took legal action on Sept.24 against former President Donald Trump and U.S. Senator JD Vance, filing criminal charges over their continued false claims about Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio. The immigration advocacy organization, The Haitian Bridge Alliance (HBA) accuses the pair of spreading debunked allegations that Haitian immigrants are harming local pets, causing a wave of bomb threats and chaos in the town.

“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,” said Guerline Jozef, executive director of the HBA in a statement. 

“This is about confronting white supremacy, anti-Black rhetoric, and hate speech that seems to be a constant in U.S. politics and that continues to cause suffering. No one is above the law.”

According to the Clark County Municipal Court filing, Trump and Vance face charges that include disrupting public services, making false alarms, and aggravated menacing. 

Within the legal documents, Jozef calls for arrest warrants for Trump and Vance, with her counsel stating “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 charges are part of a broader push to address the harmful rhetoric that has targeted Black and immigrant communities, including recent bomb threats in Springfield that have forced evacuations of schools, hospitals, and government offices.

Subodh Chandra, HBA’s lead attorney, emphasized the gravity of the accusations. 

“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,” Chandra said in a statement. 

“They think they’re above the law. They’re not.”

The legal action also sparked a wave of reactions on X formerly called twitter, where users voiced strong opinions.

 One tweet read, “Good. Especially since Vance openly admitted on TV he lied and created stories about Haitian immigrants to stoke fear and hatred against them.”

Another added, ‘More criminal charges for the felon.’”

 “This is about confronting white supremacy, anti-Black rhetoric, and hate speech that continues to cause suffering.”

 Guerline Jozef

“I’m glad to hear that they’re taking action.  I saw a little 10-year-old Haitian girl talking about how scared they are to even go to school, then she reached over and held her dad’s hand as she said she knew her dad will keep her safe. The look on his face was heartbreaking.” 
In recent years, anti-immigrant rhetoric has surged across the U.S., often leaving Haitian immigrants at the center of harmful falsehoods. In Ohio, Trump and Vance’s unfounded allegations have added to a growing toxic environment for the Haitian population, which has made positive economic contributions to the state.

Local officials, including Springfield Mayor Rob Rue and Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, have publicly refuted the rumors spread by Trump and Vance. 

“As a supporter of former President Donald Trump and Senator JD Vance, I am saddened by how they and others continue to repeat claims that lack evidence and disparage the legal migrants living in Springfield. This rhetoric hurts the city and its people, and it hurts those who have spent their lives there,” DeWine wrote in a recent op-ed.

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Haitian nonprofit files criminal charges against Trump and Vance over Springfield hate speech was first posted on September 25, 2024 at 11:16 am.