After President Donald Trump signed an executive order designating English as the official language of the United States, activists and advocacy groups are alarmed by what that will mean for non-English speakers when it comes to immigration, voter access and other issues.
The order, which was signed Saturday, will allow government agencies and organizations that receive federal funding to choose whether to continue to offer documents and services in languages other than English, according to a fact sheet. The move rescinds a mandate from former President Bill Clinton that required the government and organizations that received federal funding to provide language assistance to non-English speakers.
Designating English as the national language “promotes unity, establishes efficiency in government operations, and creates a pathway for civic engagement,” according to the White House. But some activists and organizations think the move is just another way for the president to stoke division and fear.
“This isn’t just an offensive gesture that sticks a thumb in the eye of millions of U.S. citizens who speak other languages, but also will directly harm those who have previously relied on language assistance for vital information,” Vanessa Cárdenas, executive director of America’s Voice, an advocacy group for immigration reform, told the Associated Press in an email.
In Illinois, schools are one area where many non-English services are provided. But Illinois and Chicago education officials said they expect no impact from the order.
“Brain science and abundant research demonstrate the benefits of speaking multiple languages,” State Superintendent of Education Tony Sanders said in a statement. “We will continue to uplift opportunities for students to immerse themselves in diverse cultures and obtain fluency in multiple languages, including English.
“State and federal laws still require public schools to provide language acquisition services to English learner students. The most effective program model for English learners remains dual language instruction.”
A Chicago Public Schools spokeswoman said: “The district proudly engages with families and school communities in nine different languages, and happily provides assistance programs to those with limited English proficiency. This executive order does not change that. The district will continue to support all students, families and school community members, regardless of preferred or native language.”
But some are worried about other services throughout the state.
Cook County Commissioner Josina Morita — who represents the 13th District, where she says more than 100 languages are spoken at home — called the order “heartbreaking.”
She said she believes Cook County will “continue its commitment to language access. My concern is that many other places in Illinois and across the country where populations who need information in different languages will no longer receive it.”
Morita, who hosted the county’s first-ever Language Access Summit last December, said there are many agencies and organizations that receive federal funding that are already not complying with federal law that requires translation services. The executive order, she said, would mean even less access for immigrant communities.
She called language services are not a “nice, additional thing that the government does,” but an essential part of society.
“If people can’t communicate with us, it’s a public safety issue, it’s a public health issue,” Morita said. “These are real life-and-death consequences. It doesn’t just impact those who don’t speak English; it impacts all of us.”
What does it mean to have an official language?
According to the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, an official language is what is used by the government to conduct official, day-to-day business. Having one or more official languages can help define a nation’s character and the cultural identity of those who live in it.
Prioritizing one language may place certain people in position of power and exclude others whose language is not recognized, according to the institute.
U.S. English, a group that advocates for making English the official language in the United States, believes having an official language provides a common means of communication, encourages immigrants to learn English to use government services and “defines a much-needed common sense language policy.”
Currently there are more than 350 languages spoken in the United States, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. The most widely spoken languages other than English are Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese and Arabic.
People in the U.S. also speak Native North American languages such as Navajo, Yupik, Dakota, Apache, Keres and Cherokee, among others.
States that have English as the official language
More than 30 states, from California to New Hampshire, as well as the U.S. Virgin Islands have already passed laws designating English as their official language, according to U.S. English. Hawaii is the only state to declare two official languages, English and Hawaiian.
For decades, lawmakers in Congress have introduced legislation to designate English as the official language, but those efforts failed. The most recent effort was in 2023, when Sens. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., and JD Vance, R-Ohio, introduced the English Language Unity Act. Vance is now vice president.
Contributing: Nader Issa, Esther Yoon-Ji Kang