The United States is made up of many different ethnic groups. These groups vary from Latinos, Asian Americans, African Americans, Pacific Islanders, Native Americans, etc. These ethnic groups come to America speaking many different languages. However, many people are still surprised to learn that the United States does not have an official language. Many assume that English is the official language of the United States. But despite efforts over the years, the United States does not have an official language. Since the United States does not have an official language, it is suffering great costs. These large costs will lead us down a path toward wasteful government spending, language battles that fuel ethnic resentment, and, in the long run, serious ethnic and linguistic separatist movements. Official English legislation is the answer to the problem. The main problem is that a multilingual government is not cheap. Today, our government makes it easy for immigrants to work in their native language. They make it easier through bilingual education, multilingual ballot papers and driving license exams, and government-funded translators in schools and hospitals (Mujica). These services are not only expensive for American taxpayers, but they also keep immigrants linguistically isolated. According to the 1990 census, 13.8% of U.S. residents spoke something non-English at home, while 2.9% spoke no English at all or did not speak it well (Mount). There was a 52% increase among non-English speakers in 2000 (Mujica). The statistics of non-English speakers might lead one to believe that English is declining in some areas of the United States. An example of this is shown in the article “Why the United States needs an official language… middle of paper… conflicts. The question of whether or not the United States will acquire an official language can only be resolved if and when the general public is fully informed about the situation and the consequences of such action. Works Cited“English Language Unity Act Introduced in the 112th Congress.” American English, Inc. 1983. Web. July 31, 2011. .King, Robert D. "Should English Be the Law?" 1996. The presence of others. Comp. Andrea A. Lunsford and John J. Ruszkiewicz. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin, 2008. 90-102. Print.Monta, Steve. “Constitutional theme: the census”. USConstitution.net. January 3, 2011. Web. July 31, 2011. .Mujica, Mauro E. "Why the United States Needs an Official Language." Worldandi.com. 2003. Web. 31 July 2011. .