Joyce Vance

“In April 2025, the case of a Salvadoran man, Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, came to the Supreme Court after the government deported him despite the existence of an order prohibiting them from doing that because he had a credible fear he would face serious persecution. It was an “administrative error,” the government told the Court. The Supreme Court did not go as far as it could have; there was no inquiry into whether the administration intentionally violated the order. But a unanimous Supreme Court—something we don’t see too often these days—ordered the Trump administration to “facilitate” Abrego Garcia’s return from Salvadoran custody to the United States. Ultimately, it falls to the courts to stand for the rule of law when it is under attack. They must do so if it’s to hold.”
― Joyce Vance, Giving Up Is Unforgivable: A Manual for Keeping a Democracy

“But I learned that there was no higher honor than serving the people of the United States and nothing I wanted to do more. Even after leaving the Justice Department—I resigned the night before Trump’s first inauguration in 2017—I felt, and continue to feel, an obligation to share what I had the privilege of learning about our justice system and our democratic institutions during my time in government. But ultimately, it’s an educated public capable of informed civil discourse that sustains effective, fair government. Accountability happens when citizens demand it. Sometimes, they must demand it loudly and persistently. This is undoubtedly one of those moments. Putting these”
― Joyce Vance, Giving Up Is Unforgivable: A Manual for Keeping a Democracy