During the presidential debate with Vice President Kamala Harris, Trump referenced claims circulating in Springfield that Haitian migrants had been eating pets. The comments followed reports of 20,000 Haitian migrants overwhelming local resources, with some residents, including one speaking at a city commission meeting, claiming that migrants were eating local animals, such as ducks in a park.
In response, the Haitian Bridge Alliance (HBA) filed a criminal complaint against Trump and Vance, requesting charges including felony inducing panic, disrupting public services, and making false alarms. The HBA's complaint also followed bomb threats in Springfield, which led to the closure of schools and municipal buildings.
The court, however, ruled on Saturday that there was no probable cause for arrest warrants or misdemeanor summons. The case was still referred to county prosecutors for further investigation, according to a report by Newsweek.
"The conclusion of whether the evidence and causation necessary for probable cause exists to commence a prosecution of the alleged offenses is best left in the investigatory hands of the prosecution," the judges said in the decision.
The judges did state that consideration should be given to "the strong constitutional protections afforded to speech, and political speech in particular," explaining that due to the upcoming election and how immigration is such a “contentious” political subject, "the Court cannot automatically presume the good faith nature of the affidavits."
Trump and Vance’s comments are part of their broader effort to criticize the Biden-Harris administration’s immigration policies. The 20,000 Haitian migrants that have overwhelmed Springfield over the past few years were granted Temporary Protected Status. This comes as the Biden-Harris “parole program” has allowed up to 30,000 migrants per month from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela to obtain a sponsor and fly into the US.
The program has faced scrutiny, particularly after the Department of Homeland Security found widespread fraud among its applicants.
