Legal Question in Constitutional Law in New York

Re: the right to speak a minority language

No case restricting the right to speak a foreign language has ever reached the Supreme Court. The Constitution guarantees a right to free speech, but it says nothing about the right to speak freely in a foreing language. I would expect that if a case were to reach the Supreme Court the government would have to show a compelling reason for the restriction and that no less restrctive means of achieving that rationale would work under the circumstances.

California tried to require that only English would be spoken in all state agencies several years back but the attempt did not succeed.

From time to time the issue is raised of establishing "english only" laws for state and Federal agencies but the issue always dies down and returns to the status quo.

My personal opinion is that any such law restricting the use of a foreign language in a public setting would most likely be found unconstitutional.

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