A Haitian nonprofit in Springfield, Ohio, is fighting back against claims from former president Donald Trump and his running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, for their claims that Haitians are stealing people’s pets and eating them.
The leader of the nonprofit Haitian Bridge Alliance has filed charges against Trump and Vance over the chaos and threats the Haitian community experienced in Springfield. According to the AP, the nonprofit evoked a private citizen’s right to file charges after they said the local prosecutor failed to do something about the threats.
“Their persistence and relentlessness, even in the face of the governor and the mayor saying this is false, that shows intent,” said
Attorney Subodh Chandra, representing the nonprofit.There were more than 30 bomb threats directed at local and state government buildings and schools, causing many of these places to close down. Due to the uptick in threats, Gov. Mike DeWine ordered more security in Springfield. He called both Trump and Vance’s comments “baseless,” as Black Enterprise previously reported.
“If it were anyone else other than Trump and Vance who had done what they’ve done — wreak havoc on Springfield, resulting in bomb threats, evacuated and closed government buildings and schools, threats to the mayor and his family — they would have been arrested by now,” Chandra said. “They are not above the law.”
Vance doubled down on his claims even after they were proven to be false. He defended the unfounded claims, stating he is “willing to create stories” if it means the American media has “to pay attention to the suffering of American people” on CNN.
While there are no official numbers on how many Haitian immigrants live in Springfield, Mayor Rob Rue told CNN the city’s population increased by approximately 25% over the last several years. Many Haitian immigrants in Springfield have been legally granted temporary protected status in the U.S.
In a statement, Steven Cheung, who serves as the 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.”