Desantis' Legal Troubles: Which Laws Were Broken?

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has been accused of breaking the law on several occasions. In 2022, he removed Hillsborough County State Attorney Andrew Warren, accusing him of neglect of duty and incompetence for refusing to enforce laws prohibiting gender-affirming care for minors or laws limiting abortion. DeSantis has also been criticised for his hardline stance on immigration, including transporting undocumented migrants to Martha's Vineyard, which some claimed violated federal law. DeSantis has also clashed with state lawmakers over his budget proposals and immigration bills, with some accusing him of overstepping his authority.

DeSantis' removal of Hillsborough County State Attorney Andrew Warren

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis removed Hillsborough County State Attorney Andrew Warren from office in August 2022, accusing him of neglect of duty and putting himself publicly above the law. DeSantis, a Republican, took issue with Warren's pledge not to prosecute people receiving abortions or their doctors performing them, as well as his refusal to enforce laws prohibiting gender-affirming care for minors.

Warren, a Democrat, was escorted out of his office and later struck a defiant tone, insisting that he was still the “duly elected state attorney for Hillsborough County”. He called the governor's criticisms “pure conjecture and lies”, accusing DeSantis of attempting to “overthrow democracy” in Hillsborough County.

Warren's removal was based on a clause in the Florida Constitution that allows the governor to suspend state officials for misfeasance, malfeasance, neglect of duty, drunkenness, incompetence, permanent inability to perform official duties, or commission of a felony. DeSantis cited neglect of duty and incompetence as the reasons for Warren's suspension, specifically pointing to his signing of joint statements with other prosecutors across the country pledging not to promote the criminalization of gender-affirming healthcare or transgender people, and not to use their resources to criminalize reproductive health decisions.

Warren's suspension caused a stir, with critics calling it a “politically motivated attack” and an attempt by DeSantis to suppress dissenting opinion. Tampa Mayor Jane Castor denounced the removal, stating that “removing a duly elected official should be based on egregious actions—not political statements”.

Warren's replacement, Hillsborough County Judge Susan Lopez, was appointed by DeSantis. Warren has since fought his removal in court, arguing that his first amendment rights and the Florida Constitution were violated. A federal judge ruled in Warren's favour, finding that there was “not a hint of misconduct” and that DeSantis's accusations were “false”. However, the judge also ruled that he lacked the authority to reverse the governor's decision. The legal battle over Warren's removal continues, with the case headed to a federal appeals court.

DeSantis' migrant transportation to Martha's Vineyard

On September 14, 2022, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis sent approximately 50 asylum seekers, primarily from Venezuela, by air from San Antonio, Texas, to Martha's Vineyard, an island in Massachusetts. This incident was part of a series of similar events staged by DeSantis and other Republican governors in Texas and Arizona to protest President Joe Biden's policies on illegal immigration. The flights were intended to expose the "liberal hypocrisy" of Democratic-led "sanctuary jurisdictions."

DeSantis's actions sparked controversy and raised legal questions. Some migrants claimed that they were lured under false pretenses, promised jobs and housing, and told they were going to Boston rather than Martha's Vineyard. These allegations led to a criminal investigation by the Bexar County Sheriff, who argued that the migrants were victims of a crime and qualified for special immigration status. A class-action lawsuit was filed against DeSantis and Florida's secretary of transportation, accusing them of manipulating the migrants, violating their rights, and interfering with federal control over immigration policy.

Legal experts debated whether DeSantis violated federal statutes prohibiting the transport of undocumented migrants. However, it was noted that the migrants had been released by the Department of Homeland Security and allowed to remain in the US during their immigration proceedings, complicating the applicability of smuggling laws. Additionally, questions arose about the legality of using state funds for the flights, as the program authorizing the transport of unauthorized aliens specified relocation from Florida, while the migrants in this case originated in Texas.

The White House and Democrats criticized the move as a "political stunt" and inhumane, while some Republicans, including Mitch McConnell, supported it. The incident highlighted the partisan divide in the US over immigration policies and approaches to addressing the issue.

DeSantis' anti-immigration agenda

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has been accused of pursuing an anti-immigration agenda. In 2024, a federal judge blocked a law that DeSantis had enacted, which made it a felony to knowingly transport undocumented people, ruling that it exceeded state authority. The law also caused a diplomatic spat with the government of Mexico, which accused the DeSantis administration of "discrimination and racial profiling".

DeSantis has also pushed for legislation that would make it a state crime to enter the US illegally and require that people show identification and their immigration status before sending money back to their home country. He has advocated for sending undocumented immigrants to sanctuary cities and Democratic-controlled areas, arguing that these areas are better equipped to absorb them. In 2025, DeSantis signed an agreement that could deputize Florida Highway Patrol troopers to act as immigration officers. This agreement has been criticized by the head of the union representing the majority of troopers, who has expressed concerns about the lack of additional funding and guidance provided for these new duties.

In addition, DeSantis has tried to strip in-state tuition rates from tens of thousands of undocumented college and university students in Florida, which could quadruple their tuition fees and force many to abandon their education. He has also threatened to veto the Tackling and Reforming Unlawful Migration Policy (TRUMP) Act, which was passed by Florida lawmakers with White House assistance, as he believes it is too weak compared to his own proposals, which include a mandatory death penalty for immigrants convicted of certain violent crimes.

DeSantis' relationship with Republican lawmakers

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has had a tumultuous relationship with Republican lawmakers in the state, with some sources characterising it as "open hostility". DeSantis has accused legislators of sabotaging his plans for strong immigration enforcement, while the House speaker and Senate president have labelled him a "lying control freak".

The relationship between DeSantis and Republican lawmakers began to sour after his failed bid for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, in which he ran against former President Donald Trump. DeSantis's loyalty has been called into question, and he has been accused of trying to usurp the legislature's authority to write laws.

One of the main points of contention between DeSantis and Republican lawmakers is the appointment of a state "immigration officer". DeSantis wanted to appoint this officer himself, while lawmakers wanted to appoint Florida Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, who has been tipped as a possible successor to DeSantis as governor. DeSantis has threatened to veto the bill that would appoint Simpson.

Another issue is the ending of in-state university tuition rates for non-citizens, which DeSantis supports but lawmakers do not. DeSantis has also wanted to expand his unauthorised alien transport program, which has been criticised as an "act of calculated deception" where migrants are tricked onto buses and planes with false promises of accommodation and jobs, and then left in Democratic states.

The legislature has also pushed back against DeSantis's power, overriding his veto of large chunks of the state's budget and restoring more than $56 million in funding that he had cut. This demonstrates a willingness by lawmakers to push back against DeSantis's vetoes of their policy or budget priorities.

Despite these tensions, DeSantis and the Republican lawmakers share some common goals, particularly in their support for Trump's immigration agenda. However, they disagree on the best way to achieve these goals, with DeSantis denouncing the legislature's Tackling and Reforming Unlawful Migration Policy (TRUMP) Act as "weak-sauce".

DeSantis' removal of Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel

On January 11, 2019, three days after his inauguration, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed an executive order removing Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel from office. The removal was due to Israel's department's response to two mass shootings—one at Fort Lauderdale airport in 2017 and another at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland in 2018. DeSantis appointed Gregory Tony, the county's first Black sheriff, as Israel's replacement.

The decision to remove Israel was controversial. Israel's supporters argued that it was a politically motivated move by the Republican governor, given Israel's Democratic affiliation. They also believed that Israel's fate should be decided by voters, not the governor. Israel's critics, including family members of the Parkland shooting victims, contended that the blame for the failures in the department's response to the shootings fell on Israel.

The Florida Senate voted 25-15 to uphold DeSantis' removal of Israel. This vote defied the recommendation of the Senate's special master, who concluded that DeSantis failed to show enough evidence to remove Israel. Senators who opposed Israel's removal warned against the precedent being set and criticized the process as tilted against Israel. However, senators who supported the removal argued that the special master's report and an analysis by a state commission showed "systemic failures" by the Broward Sheriff's Office under Israel.

Israel had already filed the paperwork to run for sheriff again in 2020. DeSantis stated that he would not re-suspend Israel if he were elected. Israel lost the Democratic primary to Tony, who won 37% of the vote to Israel's 35%.

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