Trump’s decision to declare English the official language makes it harder for millions to access public services

Access to essential services such as health, education and justice will become more difficult for non-English speakers following U.S. President Donald Trump’s historic decision to declare English the country’s official language on March 1.

Previously, important documents — such as school registration forms, driver’s license applications, and requests for healthcare services like Medicare and Medicaid — were available in multiple languages to ensure accessibility for all. However, this will no longer be mandatory, posing a significant barrier for the millions of foreigners who do not speak English.

The administration has framed the measure as a way to promote migrant integration. In an executive order, it stated that establishing English as the official language would streamline communication, “reinforce shared national values, and create a more cohesive and efficient society.” However, migrant advocates see it as part of a broader exclusionary policy.

“America will always be a multilingual and multicultural society, no matter how many xenophobic policies Donald Trump tries to enact,“ Murad Awawdeh, president of the New York Immigration Coalition, said in a statement. ”It is unclear how far this shameful executive order will be implemented, but denying people the right to interact with government agencies and access services they are eligible for in the language they speak will cause severe harm not just for the people seeking services and information, but for society as a whole as civic participation diminishes."

Although not officially designated at the national level, English is the predominant language in the United States, with more than 30 states already recognizing it as their official language — including states with large Latino populations, such as California and Florida. Nearly 80% of the population speaks only English, and immigrants must pass an English-language test to obtain U.S. citizenship.

However, the country is home to more than 350 languages, and states like Alaska and Hawaii have granted official status to several Indigenous languages. While the executive order does not mandate the elimination of other languages in federal administration, it allows agencies to discontinue their use. Since 2000, a policy introduced under president Bill Clinton required all government offices and federally funded institutions to offer services in multiple languages to accommodate non-English speakers.

The designation of English as the official language now joins a series of executive orders signed by Trump that negatively impact foreigners. The Republican president, along with several conservative governors, has blamed undocumented immigrants for straining public services such as education and healthcare and for burdening federal finances — despite the fact that they pay taxes while receiving minimal benefits. However, the new decree will not affect them alone.

Priscilla Prado, a naturalized U.S. citizen, is concerned about how the measure will affect her. Originally from Costa Rica, she obtained U.S. citizenship through marriage to an American. While she has some knowledge of English, she admits she prefers to use Spanish whenever possible.

“This measure is going to affect me because when I need a medical service or a public service, it will be difficult for me to request it if there are no translators,” she says. “I am not good at communicating in English and I could misinterpret what they’re telling me.”

The number of people in the United States who spoke a language other than English at home has nearly tripled, from 23.1 million (about one in 10) in 1980 to 67.8 million (nearly one in five) in 2019, according to the most recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hispanic population is the largest minority group in the United States, making Spanish the most widely spoken language in American homes after English. It is spoken by 62% of non-English speakers—twelve times more than the next four most common languages combined (Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese, and Arabic).

Organizations advocating for Latino rights have warned about the order’s impact on the community. “This action is not just about language — it is part of an unprecedented and dangerous campaign that seeks to single out, surveil, and target communities based on their background and beliefs, regardless of whether they are American citizens or not,” the organization Voto Latino posted when the order was announced.

Latinos are not the only ones concerned. The chairs of three Congressional caucuses — Adriano Espaillat of the Hispanic Caucus, Grace Meng of the Asian Pacific American Caucus, and Yvette Clarke of the Black Caucus — issued a joint statement in response to the executive order.

“What happens when a senior with limited English proficiency needs help accessing their earned Social Security benefits? Or when a non-native English speaker needs help enrolling in Medicare?” the statement said. “Trump claimed he would fight for everyday Americans. He’s done just the opposite. This executive order is reckless and only serves to make life harder for working people.”

Beyond the barriers to accessing essential services like healthcare and education, the imposition of English poses other serious risks. It could prevent individuals from testifying in court, reporting crimes, or exercising their right to vote. In the 1970s and 1980s, migrant children were often punished in schools for speaking languages other than English, leading many to abandon their mother tongue in favor of English. Over the years, however, multilingualism has gained recognition, and now their children are making efforts to reclaim the languages that were once forbidden to their parents.

Bernardo Ferdman, a consultant for organizations specializing in diversity, underscores the importance of preserving languages. “It has a lot to do with cultural identity, what one’s references are, who I am, who we are or my group. Asking people to erase these references is like saying that these identities are not valid. This is what the government is doing, trying to create history in a certain way, not allowing diversity.”

Supporters of Trump’s decree praise its attempt to homogenize the population through language — a goal they have pursued for years. The most recent effort to declare English the official language was in 2021, but similar attempts date back to the 1980s.

Organizations such as ProEnglish, which advocate for making English the sole official language, argue that it should be mandated for migrants. “Official English would also reinforce America’s historic message to new immigrants — that we expect them to learn English as the first step in their assimilation — and that we are committed to ensuring that all Americans share in the economic, social and political benefits of having a common language,” states the ProEnglish website.

While foreigners recognize the advantages of speaking English to live and work in the U.S., critics argue that eliminating the option to communicate in other languages is counterproductive to integration.

“I understand that you have to learn the language of the country where you live, but not all people have the same level of learning,” says Prado. “For some it takes more time and if it is forced upon us from the moment we arrive, it is very difficult.”

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