The Constitution promises an interpreter for fair trials – US courts often can’t deliver

Federal protections promise a fair trial in a language you understand, but for millions who speak lesser-known languages, courts can’t keep that promise.

By: Carol Rose Little, University of Oklahoma, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: June 12, 2026

Words: 1,617

Last Updated: 1 month, 1 week ago

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By Carol Rose Little, University of Oklahoma

In northern Oregon, just before dawn in October 2025, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers arrested and shackled two farmworkers on their way to work. The man and woman were Guatemalan citizens who spoke no English and very little Spanish. They spoke Mam, an Indigenous Mayan language.

Despite the man trying to tell an ICE officer as much, he was not provided with an interpreter, according to his …

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