Designating English as the Official Language of the United States

This executive order designates English as the official language of the United States and revokes Executive Order 13166 (2000), which required federal agencies to provide services to limited-English-proficiency individuals. However, the order explicitly does not require agencies to change their current multilingual services, leaving operational decisions to agency heads.

Federal Register Open PDF 90 FR 11363

Impact dates

Date TBD
Attorney General to rescind EO 13166 policy guidance and provide updated guidance

Key directives

Designate English as official language of the United States
Revoke Executive Order 13166 of August 11, 2000
Attorney General shall rescind policy guidance documents issued pursuant to EO 13166 and provide updated guidance
Agency heads should make decisions as they deem necessary to fulfill agency missions
Agency heads not required to amend, remove, or stop production of non-English documents or services

Who is ordered

Timeline

Immediate

EO 13166 revoked
English designated as official language symbolically

Near term (90d)

Attorney General to rescind EO 13166 policy guidance documents
Agency heads may adjust service delivery at discretion

Long term

Potential gradual reduction in multilingual federal services depending on agency head decisions
Symbolic normalization of English-only framework in federal operations

Risks & tensions

Symbolic-versus-substantive gap: revocation of EO 13166 without mandating service changes creates legal/policy ambiguity
Discretionary language ('should,' 'not required') may produce inconsistent agency implementation
Potential chilling effect on multilingual service provision despite explicit non-requirement
Vulnerable to litigation over disparate impact on LEP communities if agencies reduce services