WASHINGTON—The Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF) expresses deep concern over the U.S. Department of Justice’s new guidance to federal agencies implementing Executive Order 14224, which revokes Executive Order 13166, a longstanding mandate requiring federal agencies and recipients of federal funding to ensure meaningful access to services for individuals with limited English proficiency (LEP).

For nearly 25 years, Executive Order 13166 has been a foundational safeguard for civil rights and language access in federal programs. Its revocation represents a major step backward for the more than 25 million individuals in the U.S. with limited English proficiency, disproportionately harming Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, Latino, and immigrant communities who rely on equitable access to essential services.

"The Department of Justice’s new guidance undermines decades of progress in making our government more accessible and accountable to all people, regardless of the language they speak," said Juliet K. Choi, President & CEO of APIAHF. "Language access is not a luxury—it is a civil right."

Executive Order 13166, issued in 2000, built on Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of national origin. Courts and federal agencies have long recognized that failing to provide language assistance can constitute such discrimination. The DOJ’s new interpretation weakens this legal framework by reframing language access as discretionary rather than a core requirement for compliance.

The new DOJ guidance will create confusion and uneven standards across agencies, leading to reduced access to health care, public safety, housing, and other essential services.

"This is not a matter of bureaucracy—it’s about ensuring that a mother can understand how to access care for her child, that an elder can understand warnings during a natural disaster, that a worker can report abuse or fraud without facing a language barrier. The consequences of this rollback are real and dangerous," said Choi.

APIAHF calls on Congress and federal agencies to restore and reaffirm strong, consistent protections for LEP individuals. The organization also urges local and state governments, as well as nonprofit service providers, to continue upholding robust language access standards in their programs and policies.

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