B - Purpose and Authority

The purpose of the Plan is to reaffirm and update EOIR’s guidelines for personnel to follow when providing services to, or interacting with, individuals with LEP. These guidelines aim to ensure that people with LEP have substantially equal and meaningful access to EOIR’s services by providing timely and appropriate language assistance services. The Plan also outlines EOIR’s efforts to ensure that limited English proficiency is not a barrier to accessing EOIR’s services. This updated Plan was developed by the EOIR LAWG, consisting of representatives from each of EOIR’s components.   

The Plan is consistent with the authority set forth in the updated 2023 Department of Justice Language Access Plan including Section 601 of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. § 2000d) (Title VI); Sections 501, 504, and 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; Executive Orders 13166, Improving Access to Services for Persons with Limited English Proficiency; Executive Order 13985, Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government; Executive Order 14031, Advancing Equity, Justice, and Opportunity for Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders; Executive Order 14091, Further Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government; and various Justice Department and Attorney General directives and guidance. (DOJ LAP, Authority, Page 2-3). This document is intended to be reevaluated biennially, or as necessary following Department-wide initiatives related to language access.