Former President Donald Trump and Sen. JD Vance (R-OH) sparked controversy in recent weeks by repeatedly referencing disputed and unverified complaints from local citizens of alleged unacceptable behavior, such as the killing and eating of neighbors' domestic pets, from Haitian migrants in small towns like Springfield, Ohio, and elsewhere.

A Haitian migrant advocacy group has now filed an affidavit urging authorities to press criminal charges against Trump and Vance for what they have said, according to Rolling Stone.

The California-based nonprofit organization is exploiting an Ohio law that allows private citizens to file alleged criminal complaints and purportedly requires courts to either issue arrest warrants or refer the matter to prosecutors for further investigation and possible criminal indictment.

Criminal complaint filed by advocacy group

The migrant advocacy group known as Haitian Bridge Alliance filed on Tuesday an affidavit and bench memorandum with the Clark County Municipal Court in Ohio that demanded the court either issue arrest warrants for former President Trump and Sen. Vance or refer them for criminal investigation and indictment by the local prosecuting attorney.

"Investigation is neither needed nor requested," the memo stated. "Despite the facts presented in the affidavit being open and notorious for the world to see, the prosecuting attorney has not yet acted to protect the community and hold Trump and Vance accountable for the harm they have instigated."

"Probable cause having already been determined by this Court, the prosecuting attorney then must make a public decision about whether that office stands for the rule of law -- or whether it will further coddle Trump and Vance with complete inaction," the memo continued.

"If anyone else had done what they have done, to the devastating effect experienced in Springfield, police and prosecutors would have filed charges by now," the memo asserted. "Trump and Vance have knowingly spread a false and dangerous narrative by claiming that Springfield, Ohio’s Haitian community is criminally killing and eating neighbors’ dogs and cats, and killing and eating geese. They accused Springfield’s Haitians of bearing deadly disease. They repeated such lies during the presidential debate, at campaign rallies, during interviews on national television, and on social media."

"The direct impact on Springfield, Ohio of Trump and Vance’s unrelenting lies cannot be overstated," the memo added. "During the last two weeks, Springfield has received 33 bomb threats. Many public institutions have been forced to evacuate, and vital local resources were diverted to investigate the barrage of threats to the community."

The alleged criminal violations

The memo and affidavit went on to accuse Trump and Vance of violating multiple criminal statutes, including that they "disrupted public services" by "causing widespread bomb and other threats that resulted in massive disruptions to the public services in Springfield, Ohio."

They are also charged with having "made false alarms" by "continuing to repeat lies that state and local officials have said were false" and of having "committed telecommunications harassment" by "spreading claims they know to be false during the presidential debate, campaign rallies, nationally televised interviews, and social media."

Likewise, the Republican candidates are alleged to have "committed aggravated menacing" by "knowingly making intimidating statements with the intent to abuse, threaten, or harass the recipients" and by "knowingly causing others to falsely believe that members of the Springfield, Ohio Haitian community would cause serious physical harm to the person or property of others within the Springfield, Ohio community."

Trump and Vance are further alleged to have violated state and local laws against "complicity" in that they were "conspiring with one another and spreading vicious lies that caused innocent parties to be parties to their various crimes."

Filing is about "confronting white supremacy, anti-Black rhetoric, and hate speech"

In a statement, Haitian Bridge Alliance Executive Director Guerline Jozef said, "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."

"Thirty-three bomb threats have been alleged across Springfield within the last two weeks. Hospitals, schools, universities, and government offices were all evacuated after receiving racially charged threats. Springfield government officials and their families received threats. Trump and Vance’s lies have harmed the Springfield community, and their lies have violated criminal law," she added. "HBA is non-partisan, this is not about one candidate or political party. 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."