White House Ordered to Provide ASL Interpretation During Press Briefings
In a significant decision aimed at enhancing inclusivity, a federal judge has mandated the White House to offer American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation at its press briefings. This order comes into effect immediately for sessions involving President Trump or Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
U.S. District Judge Amir Ali emphasized the importance of accessibility, stating, “White House press briefings engage the American people on important issues affecting their daily lives.” Ali highlighted that excluding deaf Americans from such sessions “is clear and present harm that the court cannot meaningfully remedy after the fact.” The full text of the court’s decision can be found here.
This ruling follows a lawsuit filed in May by the National Association of the Deaf (NAD) and two individual plaintiffs. The suit targets President Trump, Press Secretary Leavitt, and others, arguing that the absence of ASL interpretation at White House briefings contravenes Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. This law prohibits discrimination based on disability in federal programs. The plaintiffs also invoked the First and Fifth Amendments, which protect free speech and ensure due process.
Bobbie Beth Scoggins, NAD Interim CEO, expressed satisfaction with the ruling. “ASL and English are distinct languages, and captions alone cannot meet the needs of everyone in our community,” Scoggins stated. “Equal access to information from the White House is not optional. We deserve the same timely, direct access to White House briefings as everyone else.”
Since January, following President Trump’s second term commencement, live ASL interpretation at White House events had been discontinued. The judge’s order not only reinstates this but also specifies that the interpretation must be conducted by a qualified interpreter and be clearly visible.
The White House has yet to comment on the court’s decision. Judge Ali dismissed the White House’s argument that closed captioning suffices, noting that many NAD members, including plaintiff Derrick Ford, do not know English. The NAD estimates that hundreds of thousands of Americans primarily use ASL, which has a distinct vocabulary and grammar from English.
While the ruling mandates ASL interpretation for presidential and press secretary briefings, it does not extend to events involving the vice president, first lady, or second lady. The NAD intends to continue advocating for broader ASL access as the lawsuit progresses.
The court’s preliminary injunction offers immediate relief as the case unfolds, with the White House expected to report on compliance by Friday.
Read more about the lawsuit here.
Learn about previous ASL interpreter initiatives at the White House.
This article was originally written by www.npr.org
