06/19/2026
NCIL Statement Condemning and Rejecting the Department of Justice's Memo Attempting to Undermine Disability Civil Rights
The National Council on Independent Living (NCIL) strongly condemns the recent Department of Justice Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) memo that attempts to undermine the integration mandate at the heart of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the landmark Olmstead v. L.C. decision.
For decades, the Olmstead v. L.C. decision has affirmed a simple truth: segregation of people with disabilities is discrimination. The integration mandate is not optional — it is the foundation of disability civil rights, ensuring that people with disabilities can live, work, and participate fully in their communities.
The OLC memo claims that federal disability rights laws do not require services in the most integrated setting. This contradicts decades of legal precedent and the lived experiences of our community. This position threatens hard-won progress and risks re-legitimizing institutionalization and segregation. From the perspective of the Independent Living Movement, this is unacceptable.
Read more: https://bit.ly/4aH3kKw
Image: Statement Condemning and Rejecting DOJ Memo – Advocacy and Action graphic features two abstract letters A, reflected horizontally in purple and green. NCIL Logo: National Council on Independent Living. Graphic features a fingerprint.
