A sharp response followed President Trump’s executive order on Friday designating English as the official language of the United States.
Leaders of the Congressional Tri-Caucus—Rep. Grace Meng of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, Rep. Adriano Espaillat of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, and Rep. Yvette Clarke of the Congressional Black Caucus—issued a joint statement condemning the move.
The order mandates English as the sole official language of the U.S., claiming it would strengthen the nation’s unity. However, the Tri-Caucus leaders argue that the executive order targets immigrant communities and those with limited English proficiency, denying them access to essential federal services.
“President Trump’s executive order is a thinly-veiled attempt to allow federal agencies to discriminate against immigrants and individuals with limited English proficiency,” a statement said. They said the order removes protections for people who rely on multilingual services in government programs.
“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 continued.
Meng expressed her concern about the consequences for diverse communities in the U.S. “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.”
“Speaking English not only opens doors economically, but it helps newcomers engage in their communities, participate in national traditions, and give back to our society,” Trump’s order reads.
The order 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.
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.
Potential impact on citizenship and voting
APIAVote, a nonpartisan nonprofit focused on registering Asian American and Pacific Islander voters, expressed worry this could mean barriers for millions of voters such as naturalized citizens or elderly residents who aren’t English-proficient.
“It will make it harder for them to participate civically and vote, as well as access critical healthcare, economic and education resources,” the group said in a statement.
Furthermore, the organization says this action could make anyone who speaks another language a target.
“The exclusionary nature of this policy will only fuel xenophobia and discrimination at a time when anti-Asian hate and hate against other minority and immigrant groups are rising.”
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.
How many countries have official languages?
It is estimated that over 170 countries have an official language, with some having more than one language.
Mexico does not have an official language. In Canada, the official languages are English and French. According to Canada’s Official Languages Act of 1969, the purpose of designating two languages ensures “the equality of status” and protecting linguistic minorities “while taking into account the fact that they have different needs.”
Leaders of the Congressional Tri-Caucus said, “English remains the de facto language of our nation, but people who speak another language other than English are just as American as those who do… We will not let President Trump change this fact, and we will fight to protect Americans’ right to access federal services in any language.”