INTRODUCTION
“Languages play a crucial role in the daily lives of people, not only as a tool for
communication, education, social integration and development, but also as a
repository for each person’s unique identity, cultural history, traditions and
memory. But despite their immense value, languages around the world
continue to disappear at an alarming rate.
“With this in mind, the United Nations declared 2019 The Year of Indigenous
Languages (IY2019) in order to raise awareness of them, not only to benefit
the people who speak these languages, but also for others to appreciate the
important contribution they make to our world’s rich cultural diversity.”
—United Nations General Assembly, 2019 International Year of Indigenous Languages
T
oday, in the midst of global migration and refugee crises, the United States of America is at a
crossroads. It is a time when the basic rights of immigrants, communities of color, and poor people
are at risk; when anti-immigrant sentiment and rhetoric have translated to open hatred, talk of
border walls, and acts of violence; and when trust in the federal government and the international
reputation of the United States have been greatly diminished. Yet across the country, cities like San Francisco
have reconfirmed their commitment to an inclusive, diverse, fair, and just nation for all the people.
Language access has often been referred to as one of the keys to immigrant integration. In today’s context,
it is also essential to access justice in the courts. At a time when undocumented immigrants are being
detained without cause, their basic human rights and ability to exist in this country can be jeopardized
when they respond to questions or sign documents without understanding what is being communicated.
Language access is a right that is legally mandated under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which
prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, and national origin in programs and activities receiving
federal financial assistance. Under Title VI, meaningful language access to federally funded programs for
individuals who speak a language other than English and who have limited ability to read, write, speak, or
understand English is guaranteed. All federally funded programs, including those under the Customs and
Border Protection and Department of Homeland Security, are required to provide language access to
Limited English Proficient (LEP) individuals. Denial of language access means that a program is
discriminating on the basis of national origin.
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