The Legal Dilemma on Student Debt Relief
Meghan Brink
September 6, 2022
Republicans say Biden’s student debt-relief plan is illegal, but they are struggling to find a plaintiff with standing to make a case against the president’s use of executive authority.
Conservative groups and Republican state attorneys general are exploring legal options that could throw a wrench in President Biden’s plan to cancel a third of the $1.7 trillion in federal student loan debt. They say the plan is an illegal use of executive authority, but proving that in court could be tricky, as groups scramble to search for a plaintiff with the legal standing to sue.
Biden announced Aug. 24 that he would cancel up to $10,000 in student debt for borrowers making under $125,000 a year, with up to $20,000 in relief for Pell Grant recipients. The announcement has come as a relief to many individuals who have been burdened by outstanding debt. However, others, especially those who have paid off their debt or did not go to college, view it as a handout at the expense of taxpayers.
