President Donald Trump is set to sign an executive order making English the official language of the United States, the first time the country has had an official language at the federal level.
This directive cancels a former President Bill Clinton mandate that demanded federally funded agencies offer language help to non-English speakers. Agencies, in the new guideline, will be allowed to make services available in languages other than English as deemed appropriate.
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The Trump administration claims that this action would bring Americans together under the most widely used language, noting that though more than 350 languages are spoken in America, English is the most spoken.
The White House contends that making English the official language is unifying, increases government efficiency, and increases civic participation.
But the executive order has raised alarms among activists and advocacy groups. Critics say it could become a barrier to non-English speakers’ access to basic services, civic engagement, and exercising their rights in such areas as immigration and voting. They say the order could result in more discrimination and xenophobia, potentially isolating communities that speak languages other than English.
More than 30 states have currently made English an official language, but efforts in the past on a national scale have not succeeded. This executive order is a major departure in language policy and could affect multilingual access to essential resources and support structures throughout the nation.
The signing date of the executive order has not been publicly revealed, but it is expected to happen shortly.
As the nation awaits this historic decision, debates continue regarding its implications for America’s diverse linguistic landscape.
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