Hawaiʻi – The Hawaiʻi State Council on Developmental Disabilities has issued a statement firmly opposing the federal executive order, “Ending Crime and Disorder on America’s Streets,” which was issued on July 24, 2025.
The federal order directs agencies to prioritize funding for jurisdictions that adopt or enforce laws targeting unhoused individuals and those with visible mental health or substance use conditions. The council argues that this policy poses a serious threat to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) by increasing the risk of unnecessary institutionalization, surveillance, and criminalization.
“Forcing treatment or removing people from their communities just because of how they look or live is wrong,” said Sierra Whiteside, chair of the council. “This order takes away our dignity. People with disabilities deserve to make their own choices, live safely in the community and be treated with respect – not fear.”
The council states that the policy is “completely out of step with Hawaiʻi’s values of aloha, inclusion and kuleana.” They also believe the order undermines decades of progress made in civil rights for people with disabilities and disregards the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark Olmstead v. L.C. decision, which affirms the right of individuals with disabilities to receive services in the most integrated setting appropriate to their needs.
The council, guided by values of independence, self-determination, and inclusion, remains committed to advancing policies that empower people with disabilities, protect their civil rights, and reflect the spirit of aloha that defines the islands.