The push for English: Trump's executive order and Oklahoma's longstanding commitment to the language

Donald Trump signed an executive order on Mar. 1 that designated English as the official language of the United States. However, Trump's declaration follows prior decisions made by individual states, including Oklahoma, to designate English as their official language

What is the executive order, and what does it mean?

Trump's executive order is designed to reflect this historical language found on documents such as the Constitution, as well as encourage new Americans to learn and adopt English in the interest of economic opportunities, community engagement, and participation in American traditions. The order also revokes Executive Order 13166 from 2000, which was signed by George W. Bush to improve access to services for individuals with limited English proficiency.

However, the order does clarify that agencies are not required to stop providing services in other languages. It does not mandate changes to existing services or documents.

The push for English as the official language could create a barrier for those who are still in the process of learning English. Non-English speaking populations may be marginalized, especially in regions with significant immigrant populations, potentially leading to social and cultural tensions.

The executive order may also present challenges if federal requirements for multilingual services are reinstated or become more prevalent in the future.

Oklahoma's prior commitment to English

Oklahoma State Question 751 was successfully passed in 2010, which amended the State Constitution of Oklahoma by adding a new article that specified that English is to be used for official State actions. The amendment passed by Oklahoma voters predates Trump's official order by almost 15 years.

Exceptions were made for Native American languages, and other languages were permitted for official actions if they were to be required by federal law. The term "official actions" was not defined, leaving room for the Legislature to decide how the language requirements are applied.

The successful passage of State Question 751 stipulated that no lawsuit based on State law could be brought based on a State agency's failure to use a language other than English.

RELATED: State Question 751: English Language

How does the executive order impact Oklahomans?

The executive order reinforces the use of English at the federal level, which indirectly supports Oklahoma's prior constitutional amendment.

The order will likely have minimal immediate impact on Oklahoma's constitutional framework, but both policies emphasize English as the unifying language for official actions. In conjunction with the 2010 amendment to Oklahoma's constitution, the executive order further cements the idea of English being central to government operations in Oklahoma.