Defend Community Integration Coalition opposes Texas v. Kennedy resolution

The Defend Community Integration Coalition has issued a statement condemning a proposed joint resolution filed on August 31 in the ongoing legal case Texas v. Kennedy. The resolution seeks to vacate the community integration provisions of the Section 504 regulations under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

On August 31, 2026, the Department of Justice, acting on behalf of the Department of Health and Human Services, joined several states—including Alaska, Florida, Louisiana, Montana, and Texas—in filing the proposal. The coalition argues that striking down the 2024 community integration regulations contradicts decades of judicial precedent and Congressional intent to protect the civil rights of people with disabilities.

The coalition maintains that community integration is a foundational right that allows individuals with disabilities to live in their own homes and participate in community life rather than being forced into segregated institutional settings. They have pledged to continue fighting for the full realization of the community integration mandate.