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Sept. 24 (UPI) -- A Haitian nonprofit in Ohio filed criminal charges Tuesday against former President Donald Trump and his running mate Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, for "baseless fearmongering" in their unsubstantiated claims that Haitian immigrants in Springfield are "eating their neighbor's pets." The leader of Haitian Bridge Alliance filed the charges in Clark County Municipal Court under a state statute that allows private citizens to file criminal charges.
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Their "lies have harmed the Springfield community, and their lies have violated criminal law," the group said in a press release.
Among the charges against the running mates are making false alarms, disrupting public service, committing telecommunications harassment, committing aggravated menacing and violating the prohibition against complicity, according to the Chandra Law Firm, which is representing the group.
During this month's presidential debate, Trump claimed, "In Springfield, they're eating dogs, the people that came in. They're eating the cats. They're eating the pets of the people who live there."
Vance has made similar claims and, when confronted, told CNN, "If I have to create stories so that the American media actually pays attention to the suffering of the American people, then that's what I'm going to do."
Local officials in Springfield and the city's mayor have flatly denied claims of pet-eating, saying they have received no credible reports substantiating the rumors.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine called the claims a false "piece of garbage" as he acknowledged the immigration surge has caused other problems for the city.
"What we know is that the Haitians who are in Springfield are legal. They came to Springfield to work. Ohio is on the move, and Springfield has really made a great resurgence with a lot of companies coming in," DeWine told ABC's "This Week."
DeWine confirmed he has sent money and additional state troopers to Springfield to handle a surge in healthcare issues and traffic problems that he attributed to the exploding migrant population.
A bomb threat on Sept. 15 at Clark State College in Springfield forced officials to close the campus and hold classes virtually for the rest of the week. The Haitian nonprofit blamed Trump and Vance for the ongoing disruptions.
"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," said lead counsel Subodh Chandra. "Anyone else who wreaked havoc the way they did would have been arrested by now."
Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung responded to Tuesday's charges. He said, "President Trump is rightfully highlighting the failed immigration system that Kamala Harris has overseen, bringing thousands of illegal immigrants pouring into communities like Springfield and many others across the country."
