An official source from the United States Embassy in Mexico recently denied claims circulating on social media about a supposed order from President Donald Trump that would prohibit speaking Spanish in public spaces of the country. The source clarified that the presidential order does not require agencies to operate exclusively in English, but allows them to continue offering documents and services in other languages, including Spanish, and does not impose linguistic restrictions.
Despite the dissemination of videos on Facebook and TikTok claiming a supposed prohibition on speaking Spanish and the imposition of fines for it in the United States, there is no law approved in that regard. The White House established English as the official language of the country on March 1, but this does not imply a prohibition on speaking other languages nor penalties for those who do.
The messages circulating about a supposed 'Spanish Silence Law' are unfounded. A search on Google and on the official website of the United States Government yields no results in this regard. Trump's executive order revokes a previous directive for federal agencies to provide services in other languages, but does not prohibit the use of Spanish or penalize those who speak it.
Additionally, it has been pointed out that the videos showing Trump holding a sign against the use of Spanish show signs of having been manipulated with artificial intelligence. An analysis conducted with a fake content detection tool determined that the videos in question may have been digitally generated, casting doubt on their veracity.
In summary, there is no evidence that the United States has banned speaking Spanish in public places or that fines have been established for those who do. The designation of English as the official language does not imply a prohibition on other languages, and claims in this regard lack solid factual support.
