Translation is hard for asylum-seekers. Trump is making it harder.

Elias Gonzales was detained by ICE in mid-August during a routine workday in East Oakland, where he faced significant barriers due to his indigenous Mayan language and hearing difficulties. His attorney, Abby Sullivan Engen, reported that the lack of an interpreter left him feeling isolated and confused about legal proceedings during his two-month stay in a Tacoma detention center. Gonzales's private attorney did not accommodate his language needs, leading to a flawed asylum application that failed to capture essential details of his experience as an indigenous person fleeing his home country. The Trump administration's recent rollbacks of language access directives have exacerbated the challenges faced by immigrants in similar situations. Gonzales was released on Oct.

28 after a successful habeas petition, yet he must navigate a complicated asylum process with an inadequate application. This case highlights the critical need for improved language access in the legal system, as failure to fully articulate one's story can jeopardize asylum claims. Local immigration nonprofits now bear the burden of filling gaps in translation services amidst rising demands and budget cuts. The ongoing crisis emphasizes the importance of addressing language access to ensure fair legal representation for asylum seekers.