class Whatever
  include Mongoid::Document
  field :name, localize: true
  default_scope asc(:name)
end

[2] pry(main)> I18n.locale = "en"
=> "en"

[3] pry(main)> Whatever.all
=> #<Mongoid::Criteria
  selector: {}
  options:  {:sort=>{"name.en"=>1}}
  class:    Whatever
  embedded: false>

[4] pry(main)> I18n.locale = "es"
=> "es"

# Note the locale in the scope didn't change here...
[5] pry(main)> Whatever.all
=> #<Mongoid::Criteria
  selector: {}
  options:  {:sort=>{"name.en"=>1}}
  class:    Whatever
  embedded: false>

# This works as expected
[6] pry(main)> Whatever.unscoped.asc(:name)
=> #<Mongoid::Criteria
  selector: {}
  options:  {:sort=>{"name.es"=>1}}
  class:    Whatever
  embedded: false>