The United States administration is moving to establish English as the primary language for federal government operations, directing agencies to phase out foreign-language materials. New guidance issued by the Department of Justice on Thursday stipulates that “agencies should strive to operate solely in English,” a shift that could impact more than 27 million people in the U.S. with limited ability to speak, read, or write the language.
This directive covers a wide range of government resources, including official correspondence, public announcements, application forms, regulatory documents, and internal communications. According to reports, the mandate also extends to artificial intelligence tools utilized by federal agencies. The policy builds upon President Donald Trump’s executive order from March 2025, which designated English as the official language of the country and reversed previous federal efforts aimed at improving access to services for non-English speakers.
Some government bodies have already initiated changes in compliance with this push. The General Services Administration recently removed the Spanish-language version of its official information portal, USA.gov, redirecting users to the English-only site. Additionally, the Department of Housing and Urban Development reportedly began removing non-English services over the summer. While the Justice Department memorandum allows for exceptions in areas like national security or healthcare, it encourages agencies to limit other languages strictly to those required by law or mission fulfillment.
Key facts
- Over 27 million people with limited English proficiency could be impacted by the new federal guidance.
- The directive applies to websites, official correspondence, government applications, and artificial intelligence tools.
- The General Services Administration shuttered the Spanish-language version of USA.gov earlier this week.
- Public comments on the Justice Department memorandum are being accepted until January 11.
- The guidance was officially issued to federal agencies in September and became public on Thursday.
Why it matters
Policy experts, including Jacob Hofstetter of the Migration Policy Institute, suggest that the new guidance is likely to accelerate the removal of multilingual content across the federal government. While a Justice Department spokesperson told The Washington Sun that the memorandum is final and already in effect, the administration's move represents a significant reversal of long-standing federal policies designed to assist citizens who do not speak English as their primary language.
Source: Times of India, Hindustan Times
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