President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order on Saturday declaring English as the official language of the U.S., marking the first time America has had an “official” language.
According to a March 1 Fact Sheet provided by the White House, “A nationally designated language is at the core of a unified and cohesive society, and the United States is strengthened by a citizenry that can freely exchange ideas in one shared language.”
The goal of the Executive Order is to “promote unity, cultivate a shared American culture for all citizens, ensure consistency in government operations, and create a pathway to civic engagement.”
“Speaking English not only opens doors economically, but it helps newcomers engage in their communities, participate in national traditions, and give back to our society,” the Fact Sheet reads. “This Order recognizes and celebrates the long tradition of multilingual American citizens who have learned English and passed it to their children for generations to come.”
The order revokes a federal mandate by former President Bill Clinton that required agencies receiving federal funds to provide language assistance to non-English speakers. Agencies can still choose to provide documents and services in other languages, but it will not be required.
While more than 350 languages are spoken in the U.S., more than 78% of the population speaks English as the primary language at home, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The most widely-spoken languages other than English are Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, and Arabic.
In Texas, about 65% of the population speak English at home, while about 28.5% speak Spanish as their primary language. Another 6.6% speak Indo-European or Asian-Pacific mother tongues.
Thirty-six U.S. states and territories have already declared English as their official language. Hawaii has declared both English and Hawaiian as the state’s official languages. Alaska recognizes English as well as nearly two dozen Native Alaskan languages as “official.”
However, Texas has not yet adopted an official language. Several bills have been introduced in the state legislature to establish English as the official state language, including in 2009, 2011, and 2016, but none of these attempts have been successful.