As part of its efforts to carry out President Trump’s Executive Order 14224 designating English as the official language of the U.S., the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced it will no longer provide materials in languages other than English. HUD will also no longer have contracts for translation services for documents or communications, and all paper and online materials in languages other than English will be removed.
“We are one people, united, and we will speak with one voice and one language to deliver on our mission of expanding housing that is affordable,” Andrew Hughes, HUD’s deputy secretary, wrote in a message to HUD employees. Hughes also wrote that putting Executive Order 14224 in place will “enhance social and economic integration.”
Critics say the change could make it difficult for non-English speakers, including U.S. citizens, to access government services like affordable housing, healthcare, and voter registration. According to U.S. Census data, more than three-quarters of Americans speak only English at home, but there are some 42 million Spanish speakers and three million Chinese speakers in the country.
Local 476 of the American Federation of Government Employees, a labor union representing HUD employees, stated that the steps outlined by Hughes violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which requires the federal government and organizations that receive federal funding to provide “meaningful access” to people who struggle with understanding English. The union went on to say that canceling translation contracts could mean extra work for HUD employees.
Local 476 wrote on social media that: “Millions of tenants, applicants, and survivors of violence need language access. Denying it could shut people out of housing and services they’re entitled to by law. For the people HUD serves, this is devastating.”
The New York Times (8/18/25) By Eileen Sullivan