The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is at the center of a heated debate as it considers eliminating multilingual services in compliance with President Donald Trump’s executive order that designates English as the official language of the United States. This move, reported by The Washington Post and other outlets, could significantly impact millions of non-English speakers who rely on multilingual assistance to navigate the complex tax filing process.
President Trump signed the executive order on March 1, 2025, asserting that establishing English as the official language would streamline communication, reinforce shared national values, and create a more cohesive and efficient society. However, the United States has never officially designated an official language, despite English being the most widely spoken. The order has been controversial from the start, with some legal scholars questioning whether the President even has the authority to make such a declaration.
Attorney General Pam Bondi issued guidance in mid-July 2025, instructing federal departments, including the Treasury Department and the IRS, to phase out what she termed "unnecessary multilingual services and options." Bondi’s directive aims to redirect funding toward programs that promote English proficiency and assimilation. In her own words, she emphasized, "A shared language binds Americans together, transcending different backgrounds to create a common foundation for public discourse, government operations and civic life, while leaving ample room for vibrant linguistic diversity that thrives in private and community spheres."
Despite this rhetoric, the practical implications for non-English speaking taxpayers could be severe. Internal emails reviewed by The Washington Post reveal that Treasury officials believe the IRS needs to reevaluate its "commitment to assist non-English speaking taxpayers understand their tax obligations." This reevaluation could lead to cutting over 100 translated tax forms, eliminating free interpreter services, removing the IRS’s multilingual website, and stopping Spanish-language communications, including social media accounts.
The IRS currently offers basic tax information in 20 languages, with about 100 tax forms available in Spanish and other languages. It also provides free phone and in-person translation services and maintains Spanish social media accounts to assist taxpayers. Taxpayers can request to receive written communications from the IRS in a language other than English by filing Schedule LEP, a provision that reflects the agency's efforts to accommodate linguistic diversity.
However, this expansion of language access is now under threat. During Trump’s first term, former IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig championed efforts to broaden language services, including providing tax-filing forms and translations in Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, and Russian. The current administration’s shift marks a stark reversal of that progress.
Carlos Lopez, who runs a tax preparation service in Salinas, California, shared his concerns with The Washington Post, explaining, "Somebody is calling usually because they have a problem, and if they can’t get through to someone who speaks their language, it just delays everything." He added that many callers seek free tax advice, and if they don’t get it, "chances are they won’t pay their taxes." This highlights the real-world consequences of cutting multilingual services, potentially reducing compliance and increasing confusion among non-English speakers.
Adding to the complexity, the IRS recently renewed its contract with phone interpreter services in March 2025, following pressure from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Senior IRS and Treasury Department officials reportedly agree that interpreter services remain essential. Yet, this contract is set to expire before the end of the year, and its future remains uncertain. Whether the new IRS Commissioner, Billy Long—who previously campaigned to abolish the agency—will extend the contract is unknown.
Meanwhile, the IRS is grappling with significant staffing challenges. According to a Treasury Inspector General report released in May 2025, the agency has lost over 11,000 employees, representing 11% of its workforce. Nearly one-third of IRS auditors were cut due to staffing reductions linked to DOGE’s deferred resignation program and mass layoffs. These cuts further strain the agency’s ability to serve taxpayers effectively, especially those needing language assistance.
These developments come amid other Trump administration moves targeting language use in government and public services. For example, in April 2025, Trump issued an executive order requiring U.S. truck drivers to speak English—a move critics labeled unnecessary and discriminatory.
The push to eliminate multilingual services at the IRS reflects a broader political agenda to reshape government operations in line with Trump’s vision. What was once a drive to make government services more accessible is now being reversed, raising questions about inclusivity and the practical impact on millions of Americans who are not fluent in English.
While the Treasury Department and IRS have not publicly commented on these plans, the potential rollback of multilingual assistance has already sparked concern among taxpayers, tax professionals, and advocates for immigrant communities. The stakes are high: with around 90 million visits recorded to non-English IRS website pages during the 2025 tax season, the demand for language services remains substantial.
As the debate unfolds, it remains to be seen how the IRS will balance the executive order’s mandate with the realities of serving a linguistically diverse population. Will the agency find ways to promote English proficiency without sacrificing essential support for non-English speakers? Or will millions face new barriers to fulfilling their tax obligations? The answers will have lasting implications for the IRS and the American public alike.
