The Department of Justice on Monday issued its guidance to enforce President Donald Trump’s Executive Order No. 14224, which establishes English as the official language of the United States. The directive is a shift from the Clinton era in terms of federal language policy, prioritizing English proficiency and reducing the government’s reliance on multilingual services.
The DOJ announced it will spearhead a coordinated effort across federal agencies to “minimize non-essential multilingual services, redirect resources toward English-language education and assimilation, and ensure legal compliance with the Executive Order through targeted measures where necessary.”
Attorney General Pamela Bondi hailed the move as a long-overdue course correction.
“As President Trump has made clear, English is the official language of the United States,” Bondi said. “The Department of Justice will lead the effort to codify the President’s Executive Order and eliminate wasteful virtue-signaling policies across government agencies to promote assimilation over division.”
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon echoed the administration’s focus on unity through language.
“President Trump’s Executive Order marks a pivotal step toward unifying our nation through a common language and enhancing efficiency in federal operations,” Dhillon stated. “While we respect linguistic diversity, our federal resources will prioritize English proficiency to empower new Americans and strengthen civic unity.”
According to the DOJ, the policy will “streamline federal processes, reduce administrative burdens, and increase operational efficiency” by scaling back costly translation services and reorienting federal programs around English language skills. The Guidance leaves room for linguistic diversity in community and private spheres but shifts the focus of federal agencies toward assimilation through a shared language.
The Executive Order revokes Executive Order No. 13166, issued by President Bill Clinton in 2000, which mandated expanded access to federal programs for individuals with limited English proficiency. DOJ officials said Clinton’s policy “strained federal resources and impeded the assimilation of new Americans.”
Today’s announcement is part of a broader wave of executive actions taken since Trump’s return to the White House that include a focus on unified national identity and government efficiency.
Para obtener la ciudadanía estadounidense por naturalización, debe demostrar un buen conocimiento del inglés, lo que incluye la capacidad de leer, escribir y hablar inglés básico. Esto ha sido así durante más de un siglo.
Stating that English is the official language of the United States has not been deemed politically correct in the past. However, by doing so it will reinforce the other two vital components of making a country: customs and borders. People can retain their own language if they want but they must also learn English to fully function here.
Imagine having to actually have a law that makes it mandatory that English is the primary language of the United States! Sad…
Como se dice “inmigrante indocumentado” en ingles?
With so many ethnicities here in Anchorage. Why do all the big box stores have enter and exit signage in Mexican and English only?
They discriminate against all the Asian,
Polynesian, and those across Europe.