FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Silver Spring, MD – The National Association of the Deaf (NAD) and Mr. Derrick Ford will return to court on October 6, 2026 to defend their right to equal access to White House communications.
In November 2025, Judge Amir Ali ordered the White House to immediately reinstate American Sign Language interpreters for all publicly announced press briefings conducted by the President or White House Press Secretary. This order followed a lawsuit filed by the National Association of the Deaf and Derrick Ford on May 28, 2025, after the administration discontinued ASL interpretation in January 2025. It builds on the landmark 2020 ruling in National Association of the Deaf v. Trump, in which the court first required the White House to provide ASL interpretation during COVID-19 briefings. The White House appealed Judge Ali’s ruling, and the oral argument on the appeal will be heard by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit on October 6, 2026 at 2:00 P.M.
“This case is about whether Deaf and hard of hearing Americans can receive information from the White House at the same time as everyone else,” said Nicholas Kiego, Chief Executive Officer of the NAD. “As this case moves to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, the NAD will continue to vigorously defend the right of Deaf and hard of hearing Americans to equal access to White House communications.”
Oral argument is open to the public, and the NAD invites members of the Deaf and hard of hearing community and allies to attend. For those who attend, please allow additional time to enter the courthouse and complete security screening.
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About the National Association of the Deaf
The National Association of the Deaf (NAD) is the nation’s premier civil rights organization of, by and for deaf and hard of hearing individuals in the United States of America. Established in 1880, the NAD was shaped by deaf leaders who believed in the right to use sign language, to congregate on issues important to them, and to have its interests represented at the national level. These beliefs remain true to this day, with American Sign Language as a core value.
About the NAD Law and Advocacy Center
This case is but one example of the precedent setting cases that NAD’s Law and Advocacy Center (LAC) pursues to preserve, protect and advance the civil, human, and linguistic rights of the Deaf. Through impact litigation, legal advocacy, and other efforts to address systemic discrimination, LAC works to ensure that deaf and hard of hearing people have equal access and equal opportunities throughout the United States and its territories.
LAC’s work is supported through NAD memberships and charitable donations. To help sustain this work and enable LAC to continue its work, become an NAD member or make a donation at www.nad.org/donate
Media Inquiries
Contact Brittany Shrader, Director of Legal Services, at br**************@*ad.org