ATA Newsbriefs

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

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Interpreters for the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) sued last year, alleging they were owed hundreds of thousands of dollars in missed payments. More than a year later, they say the issue still hasn’t been resolved.

When they filed suit, interpreters alleged they were owed more than 3,500 payments, ranging from $6 to $494, totaling $280,000, dating back to 2021. According to a spokesperson for their union, Interpreters United, the unpaid work continues to “pile up” for language access providers.

Specifically, these interpreters serve those injured while working for an employer that is self-insured and doesn’t participate in Washington’s workers’ compensation system. Such companies must pay for medical services needed after workplace injuries, including interpreting assistance. Self-insurance allows employers, including companies like Walmart, Costco, and Tyson, as well as some local school districts, to exert more control over workers’ compensation claims. Interpreters United is now pushing L&I to pressure those companies to pay up.

“L&I has the authority and obligation to require self-insured companies to pay the compensation owed, but has failed, refused, and neglected to do so,” reads last year’s lawsuit filed in Thurston County Superior Court.

L&I contracts with an outside company to handle the scheduling and payments to interpreters for self-insured claims. Until June 2024, that company was InterpretingWorks, which is named as a defendant in the ongoing wage theft lawsuit. Last year, L&I switched to SOS International (SOSi). Employers who are self-insured are required to compensate the interpreters through the outside company that acts as a middleman.

Matt Ross, a spokesperson for L&I, said the agency has “the same goal as the interpreters: We want to see them get paid what they are owed. We’re working hard to find a resolution for those cases where interpreters haven’t been paid.”

Ross said that since contracting with SOSi, interpreters are being paid on time. “The number of interpreters providing services for workers has also more than doubled, from 254 last June to 520 today,” he said. A spokesperson for SOSi said the company is “committed to ensuring we meet our obligations to pay interpreters in accordance with the terms of our contract with the State.” (The company wasn’t named as a defendant in last year’s lawsuit.)

But even with these assurances, some interpreters don’t want to continue working with L&I. Barbara Robertson, a Swahili interpreter, said it’s “utterly ironic that the agency that investigates and litigates wage theft does not guarantee that interpreters will be paid. Frankly, I’m not inclined to interpret again for a client whose insurer hasn’t paid me.”

Washington State Standard (8/14/25) By Jake Goldstein-Street

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Since 2013, Michigan judges could force non-English-speaking criminal defendants whose income exceeds a certain threshold to reimburse the courts for interpreters. This is on track to change.

In a push for what it calls “effective assistance,” the Michigan Supreme Court has proposed an amendment to court rules that would require courts to cover the cost of interpreters for all criminal defendants. “It should be non-controversial,” said John Nevin, spokesperson for the Michigan Supreme Court. “Indigent or non-indigent, costs are covered.”

Currently, those deemed “non-indigent,” or those with a household income 125% above the federal poverty level or more, may be required to pay for interpreter services. The costs can add up.

“When we use an individual provider for language services, the cost ranges from $90 to $240 per case, per person needing an interpreter,” said Nancy Hames, director of docket support services at Third Circuit Court in Detroit.

Proponents of the rule change say there should be no cost to the individual for services that make the hearing accessible.

The federal poverty level is “outdated” and “based on erroneous assumptions,” said University of Michigan law professor Eve Brensike Primus. “The move is in line with other movements around the country to not require poor people who are accused of committing crimes to reimburse the government for expenses,” she said.

Jay Drick, chairman of the Livingston County Board of Commissioners, opposes the amendment. Drick, in a public comment on the proposed rule, wrote that any cell phone has the ability to translate court proceedings, suggesting efforts to supplant the existing rule are based upon “notions and feelings.” “It’s not the fault of the state of Michigan taxpayers that a person in criminal court has not learned English” he said.

Macomb County District Court Judge William Hackel III wrote in a public comment: “Without the ability to seek some form of reimbursement, this could become fairly expensive for local district court funding units, and I do not believe one should presume the local funding units will just ‘up’ this line item in the budget without cuts to other areas in a court’s budget.”

However, supporters of the amendment say it’s necessary for courts to absorb the cost. “I don’t think that access to constitutional rights is subject to a popularity test,” said Christopher Vreeland, a public defender in Coldwater. “It costs money. And it’s costing money right now. And frankly, that’s just the cost of doing business.”

In a joint statement with the American Civil Liberties Union, the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center said, “eliminating reimbursement for interpreting costs would also establish a criminal court system that is fairer and more equitable to all litigants, regardless of their English proficiency.”

Detroit Free Press (8/13/25) By Allana Smith

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An art exhibition and auction in London is seeking to raise awareness and support for people who face language barriers in accessing essential services.

Art Speaks: Bridging Cultures is a first-of-its-kind partnership between Embassy Cultural House and Across Languages, a nonprofit organization providing interpreting and translation services in the London community. More than 50 works of art are on display at the TAP Centre for Creativity from artists with diverse backgrounds and styles. Proceeds from the auction will be split between the two organizations, as well as the artists themselves.

Anna Hendrikx, executive director of Across Languages, said they’re putting the proceeds toward its Community Interpreter Access program. The program provides free services for people in emergency situations, such as medical appointments, legal proceedings, or immigration issues.

“In all those kinds of situations, we English speakers will take it for granted that we understand the other party 100% and can answer the questions with ease,” Hendrikx said.

The program is primarily funded by the United Way, but the need for interpreting services is growing yearly and funding is limited, Hendrikx said. Last year, Across Languages received — and completed — over 45,000 requests, she explained, and these proceeds would help them fill in the gaps and ensure no one goes without an interpreter when they need one.

The intersection between art and language is a significant theme of the event and the collection. One of the co-founders of Embassy Cultural House, Jamelie Hassan, has a few pieces of her own in the collection, including a glass tile interpretation of a sign notably carried by Greta Thunberg, a Swedish activist.

“Art, itself, is a language,” Hassan said. It’s a way of speaking with depth to certain issues, and it can be interpreted.”

As someone who works in interpreting, Hendrikx agreed that art and language are complimentary. “By pairing the two, this will be a very unique and powerful way to support and raise awareness for accessible interpreting services needed in the community. We hope to celebrate the many ways art transcends barriers and builds understanding across different languages and dialects.”

CBC (8/21/25) By Jack Sutton

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