LANSING — Today, the House of Representatives passed House Bill 4053, which would make English the official language of Michigan. In response, state Rep. Jewell Jones (D-Inkster) offered the following statement:
“It’s sad and disappointing that a majority of state legislators felt a need to make English the official state language. This bill pits party against party and person against person when there is no real problem with the language government uses to do its work. It’s also a dangerous bill, because it makes refugees, recent immigrants and those with limited English abilities fear that they won’t be able to get help from police, the courts or the state Legislature in a language they can understand. Rather than voting for bills that polarize our communities but do nothing to create good-paying jobs, improve our schools or fix our roads, I’ll continue to make sure the voice of everyone I represent is heard in the Capitol, no matter which language they speak.”