Haitian advocacy group seeks legal accountability for Trump and Vance over migrant falsehoods

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Advocates in Ohio are seeking to hold former President Donald Trump and Senator JD Vance accountable for allegedly spreading false claims about Haitian migrants. Guerline Jozef, executive director of the Haitian Bridge Alliance, along with her legal team, has filed charges under Ohio state law. These charges stem from claims made by Trump and Vance that Haitian migrants were eating pets in Springfield, Ohio, accusations that Jozef argues violate laws on harassment, menacing, and making false alarms.

Jozef states that the misinformation has had serious consequences, including bomb threats in Springfield, which resulted in the evacuation of public buildings and the cancellation of a local diversity festival. Despite warnings from Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and other officials about the dangers of these false claims, the rhetoric has persisted, further fueled by Trump during an election debate with Vice President Kamala Harris.

The case, based on an Ohio law that allows private citizens to file criminal complaints, will now go before the Clark County Municipal Court, which will decide whether the case should proceed to a full investigation or if arrest warrants should be issued. This legal action brings into question the boundaries of free speech under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which protects political speech.

Subodh Chandra, a former federal prosecutor and legal representative for Jozef and the Haitian Bridge Alliance, argues that Trump and Vance’s statements fall outside First Amendment protections. He claims that their repeated dissemination of debunked information has caused direct harm, leading to public disruption and threats. Chandra believes there is “probable cause” to pursue the case and intends to seek an additional charge of "inducing panic" against Trump and Vance.

Chandra asserts that if anyone else had made similar false claims, they would have faced arrest already. The legal effort by the Haitian Bridge Alliance has sparked discussions about the broader political context surrounding immigration, with Trump and his allies regularly tying the migrant influx to Democratic policies.

Trump’s statements are part of a wider political strategy targeting the Biden administration’s handling of immigration, particularly after a sharp increase in migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border following President Biden’s inauguration in 2021. Advocates like Jozef argue that such rhetoric has real-life consequences, as seen in the rising threats against the Haitian community and the spread of misinformation.

Despite these challenges, Jozef remains committed to holding Trump, Vance, and others accountable for their statements, stressing the importance of addressing the harmful effects of such rhetoric on vulnerable communities. The legal proceedings could set a precedent for how false statements in political campaigns are treated under state law.