St. Paul, MN — August 5, 2025 – Last week, the federal government signed a new executive order titled titled “Ending Crime and Disorder on America’s Streets” that affects people with mental health conditions and people who are homeless. This order could lead to more people being forced into institutions, which puts everyone in the disability community at risk.
The order also threatens programs that help people live independently with the support they need. That includes people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), who have fought for decades to move out of institutions and live in homes and neighborhoods of their own choosing.
The Arc Minnesota strongly opposes this action. We urge leaders at every level of government to protect the rights of people with disabilities, including those who are unhoused or have mental health diagnoses. Everyone deserves the chance to live safely in their community.
Institutionalization is not the answer. It does not make our communities safer. It makes people with disabilities less stable and takes away access to the services that help them thrive. We cannot go back to a time when people with disabilities were locked away and forgotten.
We call for this order to be reversed. People with disabilities must be included in all decisions that affect our lives. “Nothing about us without us.”
The Arc Minnesota will keep standing up for everyone’s right to live freely and safely in their community, and we invite others to join us.
About The Arc Minnesota
The Arc Minnesota works to protect the rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. We support people and their families so they can be included in their communities throughout their lives.
For more information, contact: Angie Tesch, Director of Marketing & Communications at angietesch@arcminnesota.org