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Lawmakers condemn Trump’s English language order
Trump’s executive order marks the first time in U.S. history that English is formally recognized as the nation’s official language.
Congressional Tri-Caucus. / Courtesy Photo
The leaders of the Congressional Tri-Caucus have strongly condemned President Donald Trump’s upcoming executive order declaring English as the official language of the United States.
In a joint statement, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) Chair Rep. Grace Meng (NY-06), Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) Chair Rep. Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), and Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Chair Rep. Yvette Clarke (NY-09) criticized the order, calling it a discriminatory measure against immigrants and individuals with limited English proficiency.
"President Trump’s executive order is a thinly-veiled attempt to allow federal agencies to discriminate against immigrants and individuals with limited English proficiency," the statement read. "Under the new order, agencies would not be required to provide language access for services that these Americans have paid for with their taxes."
A White House official confirmed on Feb.28 that Trump will sign the executive order, marking the first time in U.S. history that English is formally recognized as the nation’s official language.
While the United States has never had an official federal language, some individual states have designated English as their official language. The Tri-Caucus leaders argued that the order would create unnecessary hardships for non-native English speakers.
"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?" they asked.
The statement also took aim at Trump’s broader policies, accusing him of failing the very Americans he claims to support.
"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."
The lawmakers reaffirmed that English is already the dominant language in the U.S., but stressed that linguistic diversity has always been part of the nation’s fabric.
"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. That’s been true since the founding of our country," they stated. "We will not let President Trump change this fact, and we will fight to protect Americans’ right to access federal services in any language."
Ajay Bhutoria opposes the move
Ajay Bhutoria, a former commissioner on Biden’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AANHPI), also expressed strong concerns over President Donald Trump’s executive order.
Bhutoria, who advocated for multilingual access in federal agencies during his tenure, described the move as a “step backward” that could disenfranchise millions of Americans with limited English proficiency.
“During my tenure, we pushed for translations of key federal documents and websites into Asian languages like Hindi, Mandarin, Tagalog, and Vietnamese, recognizing the vibrant diversity of our nation” Bhutoria said.
“While I respect the intent to promote unity, this move risks alienating millions of hardworking residents who rely on language access to engage with critical services—be it healthcare, tax filing, or disaster relief,” he said.
Bhutoria, who in 2022 proposed translating federal websites into Asian languages like Hindi and Gujarati, fears that rescinding mandates such as Executive Order 13166 will lead agencies to cut back on multilingual services, citing budget constraints or shifting priorities.
“This isn’t just about efficiency—it’s about justice and opportunity,” he emphasized.
Bhutoria urged federal agencies to maintain voluntary translation services wherever possible and called on lawmakers to safeguard language access for diverse communities.
“Unity doesn’t come from silencing voices—it comes from amplifying them in every language spoken across this great nation,” he said.
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