Californians Together strongly opposes the executive order declaring English as the official language of the United States. Beyond the administration’s declaration, which disregards our nation’s rich linguistic diversity, this action rescinds a previous order to ensure that government agencies provide materials in languages other than English to those who need them. The executive order is more than symbolic—it will create barriers for millions of individuals, particularly English learners, immigrant communities, and multilingual families.
Language access is fundamental to education, civic participation, and economic opportunity. Policies that limit multilingual services place undue burdens on individuals with limited English proficiency. Everyone, no matter what language they speak, deserves access to essential government resources, voting materials, and emergency services. Rather than fostering national unity, this order only serves to exclude. Let’s be clear: this executive order sends a message that a monolingual society is superior to one that encourages language learning and access. Now is the time for policymakers to encourage individuals to speak multiple languages, including English, given the demands of an increasingly global economy. This proclamation ignores decades of research that affirms the benefits of multilingualism in education and the workforce.
The assertion that the English language needs legal protection is unfounded. English has always been, and will continue to be, the dominant language of the United States. Our country has long benefited from its multilingual communities, whose linguistic assets enrich classrooms, workplaces, and public life. Research consistently shows that policies supporting bilingualism and multilingual education strengthen literacy development, cognitive flexibility, and long-term economic success for individuals and our country as a whole.
This order undermines the principles of equal opportunity and access that are foundational to a just and inclusive society. Californians Together remains steadfast in our commitment to advancing policies that support multilingual learners, protect language access, and affirm the right of all individuals to fully participate in civic life, regardless of the language they speak. We urge policymakers at all levels to reject exclusionary language policies and instead invest in programs that promote bilingualism, linguistic equity, and educational success for all.