LAO Report 2019 LAO Report 2019 - Online and Updated | Page 6

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. 1