The federal housing agency will no longer provide any material in languages other than English, a senior official told employees on Monday, as part of its efforts to carry out President Trump’s executive order making English the country’s official language.
Putting the executive order in place will “enhance social and economic integration,” the official, Andrew D. Hughes, the deputy secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development Department, wrote in a message to employees. But the order itself did not address whether agencies could provide materials or services in other languages.
Critics have said the change could make it difficult for non-English speakers, including U.S. citizens, to access government services like affordable housing, health care and registering to vote.
Mr. Hughes said the agency, known as HUD, would no longer have contracts for translation services for documents or communications. In addition, he said, all paper and online materials in languages other than English would 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,” Mr. Hughes wrote in the message.
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.
Mr. Hughes said the department would continue providing services to people with visual and hearing impairments and follow other legal requirements.
A labor union representing Housing and Urban Development employees said the steps outlined by Mr. Hughes violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which requires the federal government and organizations that receive federal funding to give “meaningful access” to people who struggle with understanding English.
“For the people HUD serves, this is devastating,” Local 476 of the American Federation of Government Employees wrote on social media on Monday. “Millions of tenants, applicants, & survivors of violence need language access. Denying it could shut people out of housing & services they’re entitled to by law.” And by canceling translation contracts, the union said, the agency could be adding new job duties to employees.
The Justice Department issued guidance on the executive order in July, telling agencies that the president’s order rescinded limited English proficiency stipulations.
Eileen Sullivan is a Times reporter covering the changes to the federal work force under the Trump administration.
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