For years, advocates like Ellen Zhou have pushed for robust language services at state agencies to support immigrants with limited English speaking abilities.

As a child, Zhou translated for family members for whom English was a second language. Often, she felt gaps in her ability to convey critical information and wondered how these experiences could be different if a translator and other language services were available.

“I was in an experience where I had to be the person to deliver vital healthcare information because there was no translator,” Zhou recalled. “I’m not supposed to be the provider in that situation, but you kind of get roped in inadvertently and … because there’s this translation gap, the care being delivered is also not enough.”

Zhou, an organizer with the advocacy nonprofit Asian Americans Advancing Justice Chicago, became passionate about the issue after a relative suffered a mental health crisis. The lack of translation services and the subsequent fallout profoundly impacted her family.

But her experience isn’t an isolated one.

Members of Advancing Justice Chicago said thousands of immigrants across Illinois experience similar challenges navigating state services. They argue that translation services would cut language barriers and improve support for non-native English speakers.

Now, legislation making its way through Springfield could require state agencies to translate documents and provide interpretation services for some non-English languages — paid for by the state.

The Language Access legislation comes as thousands of Venezuelan migrants are bused to Chicago as part of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s political stunt. Many local organizers and political supporters of the bill believe its passage could be the first step in creating a more equitable state by making Illinois services and programs more accessible for immigrants and non-native English speakers at a critical time.

“Navigating state services can be complicated, but for individuals with limited English abilities, it can be nearly impossible,” said State Rep. Dagmara Avelar, who introduced the bill earlier this year. “That’s always been unacceptable, and this bill is the first step to remedying that injustice. Increased language equity and access uplifts Illinoisans statewide, especially immigrants and communities of color.”

A need for language services in Illinois

Since the bill’s introduction earlier this year, Advancing Justice Chicago has hosted town halls to educate community members about the legislation, share personal stories of language barriers, and highlight the importance of expanding language access for non-native English speakers. 

“By sharing a lot of these stories and making this more known to legislators and community members, that puts additional pressure on lawmakers to act and treat this as the urgent issue that it is, said Ricky Gandhi, political director for Advancing Justice Chicago.

In Cook County, over 35 percent of people speak a language other than English at home, and more than 20 percent of residents were born outside of the United States, according to data from the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning.

Many non-English speaking immigrants struggle to access information at state agencies such as Social Security offices and the Department of Motor Vehicles, which do not provide enough accommodations to those with low English proficiency, advocates say.