President Donald Trump signed an executive order declaring English the official language of the United States federal government, directing all federal agencies to conduct official business exclusively in English and to phase out multilingual services within 180 days. The order does not apply to state or local governments but affects federal courts, immigration proceedings, and federally funded programs.
Supporters said the order promotes national unity and reduces the cost of government translation services, estimated at $1.4 billion annually. Critics, including civil liberties groups and immigrant advocacy organizations, said the order would disenfranchise the 67 million Americans who speak a language other than English at home and may be unconstitutional.
The American Civil Liberties Union announced plans to immediately challenge the order in federal court, arguing it violates the civil rights of millions of non-English speakers who rely on federal services. Several states with large immigrant populations said they would not comply.