Federal agencies have begun removing foreign-language materials from government websites and services under President Donald Trump’s English-first policy, according to Justice Department guidance published in the Federal Register, dated November 12.
The document identifies changes at the Department of Housing and Urban Development and website translation removals underway at three additional departments.
The notice publishes guidance issued September 1 and revised October 22, 2026, and invites public comments through January 11, 2027.
It directs agencies to prioritize English while preserving multilingual assistance required by law or necessary to fulfill their missions.
Four Departments Report Changes
The Justice Department’s guidance, dated October 22, 2026, was filed with the Federal Register on November 10 and made available for public inspection ahead of its official November 12 publication, which formally opens the public comment period.
The October 22 memorandum states that HUD removed non-English languages from departmental business and services on August 17, 2026. That date is DOJ’s description in the revised memorandum, not the beginning of HUD’s English-only initiative: HUD had already announced comparable measures in August 2025, as documented in a North Carolina state government review of federal language-access policy.
The Departments of Homeland Security, Education, and Treasury have also begun removing website materials previously available in languages other than English, according to the DOJ memorandum. It does not specify how many pages were removed or establish that every service at those departments is now exclusively in English.
The guidance recommends English for official correspondence, regulations, public notices, forms, applications, websites, public education materials, and internal training. Agencies are directed to examine translation programs and eliminate those that are neither legally required nor necessary to their work.
When Translations Will Remain
Federal agencies must continue multilingual assistance when required by law, the guidance states. It cites constitutional provisions, statutes, binding court orders, regulations, and applicable international obligations as potential sources of those requirements.
Translation may also remain necessary for immigration enforcement, emergency response, public health, healthcare, law enforcement, court proceedings, and communication with crime victims or witnesses. The Transportation Security Administration, for example, plans to retain an automated multilingual helpline for travelers.
The Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Homeland Security are evaluating machine translation and other advanced translation technology, according to the document. The guidance calls for the least burdensome, most cost-effective method when translation is needed.
From Executive Order to Public Comment
President Donald Trump issued Executive Order 14224 in March 2025, designating English as the country’s official language. The order rescinded a Clinton-era language-access directive but did not itself require agencies to change the services they provide. The Justice Department released initial implementation guidance in July 2025.
The Dallas Express previously reported on Trump’s executive order and later covered the Justice Department’s initial implementation instructions. The latest memorandum provides examples of agency action and explains when assistance in languages other than English should continue.
Before preparing its initial guidance, DOJ solicited input from 53 federal agencies and several department components. Responses came from 20 agencies and one DOJ component, the notice states.
Public comments can be submitted through Regulations.gov by January 11, 2027, using Docket No. OLP188.
DOJ says it will review the comments and decide whether to modify the memorandum but will not respond individually. The Federal Register identifies the publication as FR Doc. 2026-22966, Docket OLP188.
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