Trump’s Push for Institutionalization Sparks Disability-Rights Backlash

Catherine Rampell argues that a Justice Department memo under the Trump era would allow states to institutionalize more people with disabilities, reversing Olmstead’s standard for the most integrated setting and potentially moving individuals from home- and community-based care to facilities, a shift critics say could be costlier and reduce independence. The piece also flags broader policy changes—reassigning special education duties to Health and Human Services, cutting disability-related data collection, and rhetoric around disabled people—with reports tying the memo to Stephen Miller and ongoing concerns about enforcement and impact on education and civil rights.