Rep. Wilson, Espaillat, and “Chuy” García Lead Letter Demanding Administration to Protect English Learners

September 12, 2025
Press Release

Congresswoman Frederica Wilson (FL-24), joined by Congressman Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04) and Congressman Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, led 77 colleagues on a letter demanding the Department of Education and the Department of Justice to protect English Learners. The agencies recently rescinded 2015 federal guidance that clarified states’ obligations to English Learner students. This rollback threatens to weaken enforcement of existing laws, strip protections for nearly 5 million students nationwide, and limit the ability of parents with limited English proficiency to make informed decisions about their children’s education.

 The letter calls on the Departments of Education and Justice to:

  • Reinstate the 2015 guidance;
  • Fully fund and staff the Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA) and Office of Civil Rights (OCR);
  • Restore monitoring and enforcement mechanisms; and
  • Clarify how they will enforce existing laws and precedents in practice.

“I represent an immigrant-rich community. In South Florida—and across the nation—many of our children in schools are English learners simply trying to build their futures. America is built by immigrants from every walk of life, yet this administration will stop at nothing to terrorize immigrants through every possible avenue, even targeting children in the classrooms,” said Rep. Wilson. “Ripping away resources and guidance for English learners is a cruel and foolish decision. Our education system has always had an obligation to welcome every child who comes through our doors. Stripping away these English learning resources undermines the rights of millions of children, weakens our ability to help them become the English speakers the President claims to want, and betrays this nation’s commitment to immigrants. This decision must be reversed immediately. ” 

“This Administration is doing all it can to create an underclass of people by denying even the most basic right, like education, to people with immigrant roots. Nearly 5 million English Learning students nationwide rely on schools to meet their legal obligations regarding their education, and most of them are U.S. citizens. I once was one of these children, and without the additional resources that helped me become fluent, I would not have thrived,” said Rep. García. “Let me be clear: the law is still the law; pulling the guidance sends a dangerous signal that compliance is optional. This rollback undermines transparency, weakens enforcement and makes it harder for parents with limited English proficiency to make informed choices about their children’s education.”

“Every student in our nation deserves the opportunity to learn, grow and achieve,” said Representative Espaillat. “Yet, the latest actions of the Department of Education are focused on stripping away the progress we have made to support millions of English Learner (EL) students. We cannot afford to leave these students and their families behind. We must do all that it takes to reverse course and put into place protections that will help them thrive.”

“Rescinding this civil rights guidance is the latest assault on English learner children by the Trump Administration. Ending the guidance must not be an excuse to deny a student’s right to a quality education. We endorse Representative Garcia’s call for the guidance’s immediate reinstatement,” said Janet Murguía, President and CEO, UnidosUS.

A full text of the letter can be found here.

Co-signers of the letter include: Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Alma Adams (NC-12), Andre Carson (IN-07), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Angie Craig (MN-02), Becca Balint (VT-At Large), Bennie Thompson (MS-02), Betty McCollum (MN-04), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Chuy Garcia (IL-04), Daniel Goldman (NY-10), Danny Davis (IL-07), Darren Soto (FL-09), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25), Deborah Ross (NC-02), Delia Ramirez (IL-03), Dina Titus (NV-01), Donald Beyer (VA-08), Doris Matsui (CA-07), Dwight Evans (PA-03), Eleanor Norton (DC-At Large), Eric Swalwell (CA-14), Gabe Amo (RI-01), Gabe Vasquez (NM-02), George Whitesides (CA-27), Gilbert Cisneros (CA-31), Grace Meng (NY-06), Greg Casar (TX-35), Greg Landsman (OH-01), Henry "Hank" Johnson (GA-04), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Jahana Hayes (CT-05), James McGovern (MA-02), Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Janice Schakowsky (IL-09), Jennifer McClellan (VA-04), Jill Tokuda (HI-02), Joaquin Castro (TX-20), John Garamendi (CA-08), Josh Gottheimer (NJ-05), Juan Vargas (CA-52), Judy Chu (CA-28), Kathy Castor (FL-14), Lateefah Simon (CA-12), Laura Friedman (CA-30), Linda Sánchez (CA-36), Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07), Lou Correa (CA-46), Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Mark Takano (CA-39), Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05), Mike Quigley (IL-05), Monica McIver (NJ-10), Nanette Barragán (CA-44), Nellie Pou (NJ-09), Norma Torres (CA-35), Nydia Velázquez (NY-07), Paul Tonko (NY-20), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Raul Ruiz (CA-25), Ritchie Torres (NY-15), Robert Garcia (CA-42), Robert Menendez (NJ-08), Robin Kelly (IL-02), Sarah McBride (DE-At Large), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), Stephen Lynch (MA-08), Summer Lee (PA-13), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Ted Lieu (CA-36), Terri Sewell (AL-07), Val Hoyle (OR-04), Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), and Yvette Clarke (NY-09).

This letter is endorsed by the following organizations: National Writing Project, Public Advocacy for Kids, UnidosUS, ACTFL, Students Engaged in Advancing Texas (SEAT), Kids First Chicago, Metropolitan Family Services, Enlace, TCEP, Latino Policy Forum, YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago, El Valor

 

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Issues: Education Immigration