Why Language Access Still Matters – Even with the Latest Executive Order

Mar 14

7 min read

On March 1st, 2025, Trump signed an executive order designating English as the official language of the United States [1]. While many may not consider this as a serious issue – since English is already the de facto language of the U.S. – this order overturns Executive Order 13166, signed by President Bill Clinton in 2000. This order, titled “Improving Access to Services for Persons with Limited English Proficiency” (LEP), required federal agencies to ensure meaningful access to services and resources for non-English speakers [2].

Language access guarantees that individuals with limited English proficiency receive the same quality of services as English speakers in their preferred language.

This principle, known as “language access”, guarantees that individuals with limited English proficiency receive the same quality of services as English speakers in their preferred language. While the new executive order does not explicitly require agencies to discontinue their language services, language access will no longer be enforced and related funding may be put at risk.

For those of us working in translation and interpretation services, this shift has serious implications for the economy and other key industries, including healthcare, government, education, and nonprofits. Restricting language access could lead to dire consequences for millions of people who rely on multilingual services.

An American flag hanging from a pole — Photo by Rob Martinez on Unsplash

Healthcare

Language access in healthcare is essential to ensuring that all patients – regardless of language – receive safe, equitable, and high-quality care. Without professional interpretation and translation, patients may struggle to understand diagnoses, treatment options, and medication instructions, leading to serious health risks and disparities.

Threatening language access in healthcare may lead to:

Poor health outcomes: Studies have shown that patients with limited English proficiency experience worse health outcomes and increased medical errors compared to English-speaking patients [3].
Preventable hospitalizations: Miscommunication in medical settings has led to preventable hospitalizations and even life-threatening situations [4].
Ethical concerns: Relying on untrained interpreters or AI translation tools can lead to inaccuracies and misinformation.

Providing professional interpretation and translation services improves patient outcomes, fosters trust, and supports informed decision-making. By ensuring language access, healthcare providers create a safer and more inclusive environment for all patients.

Designating English as an official language will not streamline communication as claimed, but instead serve to restrict it.

Legal and Government Services

Language accessibility in government agencies is fundamental to civic engagement and public safety, as it enables greater communication and representation among immigrant communities. Designating English as an official language will not streamline communication as claimed, but instead serve to restrict it.

Currently, over 25 million Americans have limited English proficiency, making up about 8% of the population (U.S. Census Bureau, 2023). Cutting off funding to language services would make critical information – such as emergency alerts, public health advisories, and legal resources – harder to access [5].

Public safety risks: Professionally translated documents help people understand important information in the case of emergencies such as natural disasters and medical crises.
Community engagement: Local and state governments have a duty to provide information that is understandable and trustworthy to all residents, regardless of citizenship status.
Budget constraints: Without federal enforcement, agencies may cut their language services to reduce costs, further isolating LEP communities.

Ensuring language accessibility allows more people to be involved in their communities and be represented within government, fostering stronger, more connected societies.

Immigration

Immigrants are among those most affected by changes to language access policies, as their ability to navigate legal processes depends on accurate translations and interpretation services. Precise communication through these services can mean the difference between approval and denial.

Immigrants often need certified translations of legal documents, as well as official evaluations of their foreign credentials and work experience, to support their cases. Without professional language services, navigating complex legal paperwork and court proceedings becomes significantly more challenging.

Accurate and culturally sensitive language services ensure that immigrants can:

Fully understand their rights: Clear communication prevents misunderstandings that could jeopardize legal status.
Navigate complex legal processes: Immigration paperwork is dense and technical, making accurate translations crucial.
Effectively communicate with attorneys, government agencies, and courts: Professional interpreters and translators prevent costly miscommunications.

Without professional support, language barriers can lead to miscommunication, delays, or even wrongful denials. As Cammile Macker, Executive Director of Immigrant-ARC, states:

“Language access plays a vital role in enabling our immigrant community members to access effective legal representation and access to justice.” [6]

High-quality professional translation, interpretation, and credential evaluations are critical to ensuring fair outcomes and giving immigrants a real chance to advocate for themselves in a complex system.

Ensuring fair access to legal resources isn’t just about compliance – it’s about upholding fundamental human rights.

Nonprofits and Community Organizations

Nonprofit organizations play a crucial role in supporting marginalized communities through services like food assistance, legal aid, and domestic violence support [7]. Many rely on federal funding for translation, interpretation, and multilingual outreach in order to effectively support these communities.

With the new executive order, organizations may struggle to:

Serve immigrants, refugees, and other vulnerable populations
Provide critical information in multiple languages
Maintain or expand programs supporting non-English speaking communities

While some language access protections remain intact under federal law, this executive order weakens enforcement and funding, hindering nonprofits’ ability to fulfill their roles as critical safety nets for vulnerable populations. By continuing to offer multilingual services, nonprofits can uphold their mission to foster inclusion and empower all members of the community effectively.

Education

Language access is critical in education, from early childhood to higher education. Professional translation and interpretation services ensure that multilingual students and families can:

Understand school communications: Parents with limited English proficiency can stay informed about their children’s progress and actively engage in their learning at home, which has been shown to improve student outcomes and close opportunity gaps [8].
Engage in school life: Access to translation and interpretation enables students to fully participate in the learning process and for parents to communicate effectively with teachers and administrators.
Navigate higher education: Multilingual learners and international students, who often navigate complex academic and administrative systems, can succeed academically and fully integrate into campus life with increased language access.

Removing language access protections with Trump’s executive order could widen existing educational disparities and limit opportunities for non-English-speaking students. By prioritizing language access, educational institutions create more inclusive, welcoming environments where all students and families – regardless of language – can thrive.

Economic Consequences of Limited Language Access

Restricting language access doesn’t just affect individuals – it impacts the entire U.S. economy. By limiting language assistance in public services, the executive order could reduce economic participation among non-English speakers, affecting workforce productivity, consumer spending, and tax contributions [9].

In an increasingly global economy, limiting language access in the U.S. could mean:

Lower earnings for second-generation migrants: Reduced economic participation can lower tax revenue and increase demand for social services.
Threats to multilingual economic hubs: Cities like Miami, Los Angeles, and New York rely on bilingual workers for international trade, tourism, and global business ties.
Workforce shortages: Industries like healthcare, hospitality, and customer service, all of which depend on bilingual workers to operate efficiently and contribute to customer satisfaction, may experience economic stagnation due to the decrease in multilingual employees.

By potentially shrinking talent pools and leading to legal disputes, this policy could hamper economic growth and innovation in diverse, economically vital regions of the country. These combined factors could decrease the United States’ ability to attract and retain diverse talent, discourage international investment, reduce tourism, and ultimately weaken its position in the global economy.

Restricting language accessibility does not promote unity – it creates barriers.

Conclusion

The United States has always been, and will always be, a linguistically diverse nation. Restricting language accessibility does not promote unity – it creates barriers. While English proficiency is valuable, it is a fact that language learning is difficult and takes time. Do immigrants, tourists, and individuals with limited English proficiency not deserve immediate access to critical resources? Putting translated resources at risk only serves to alienate and negatively impact groups of people who are often already economically vulnerable.

Fortunately, this executive order has limited impact in states like New York, which has one of the strongest language access laws in the country. New York City’s Local Law 30 of 2017 signed by Governor Hochul requires government agencies to provide translated materials in the 10 most common non-English languages spoken in the city [10]. Additionally, telephonic interpretation is available in over 100 languages, and public-serving agencies must create language implementation plans, appoint language access coordinators, and report on their progress annually.

At Langalo, we remain strongly committed to supporting language access and fostering inclusive communities. Since 2007, we have proudly helped individuals, local businesses, and government agencies break down language barriers through affordable and high-quality translation, interpretation, and multilingual solutions.

Language empowers diversity and inclusion – values that have shaped the success of the U.S. and that Langalo fully believes in.

If you or your organization require multilingual services – whether for translation, interpretation, foreign credential evaluation, or other needs – we are here to help. Together, we can build a more inclusive and linguistically accessible future.

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