US Justice Department urged agencies to prioritize English — The Hill

The US Department of Justice has released a memorandum designating English as the department’s official language and stating that government agencies should prioritize it over other languages. The document was published in the US Federal Register for a 60-day public comment period, The Hill reports.

Review of multilingual programs

The memorandum states that English had been the country’s common language even before its founding, although it had not previously been officially designated as such. The Department of Justice instructed agencies to promptly identify and review all multilingual assistance programs.

After that, agencies must determine whether providing such assistance is required by law or necessary to carry out the tasks of a particular agency. If multilingual support is not legally required and is not needed to fulfill an agency’s mission, the memorandum provides for its cancellation in favor of operating only in English.

More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.

Connection with Trump’s executive order

The memorandum was released following an executive order by President Donald Trump, signed in March 2025, on designating English as the official language of the United States. As The Hill notes, the Justice Department had previously conducted most of its official work in English under both Democratic and Republican administrations.

Through its Civil Rights Division, the Justice Department also oversees compliance with language assistance requirements during elections. The department’s website mentions Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act, which establishes language requirements for election administrators and provides voters with access to information in minority languages.