The Supreme Court has once again put a hold on President Joe Biden’s efforts to provide student debt relief, leaving millions of borrowers in uncertainty. On Wednesday, the court declined to reinstate the administration’s latest initiative, known as the SAVE plan, which aims to cancel student debt for millions across the country.
The justices rejected a request from the Justice Department to lift a broad appeals court order that has temporarily blocked the program. The SAVE plan has faced significant opposition, with more than a dozen Republican-led states challenging its legality. The Supreme Court, in its brief and unsigned order, emphasized its expectation that the Court of Appeals will move swiftly in resolving the case. Notably, no dissents were recorded among the justices.
As a result, the injunction from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit remains in effect, halting the plan’s progress for the time being. The Education Department had already paused loan payments for those enrolled in the program earlier this month due to the ongoing legal battles.
This isn’t the first time Biden’s attempts at easing the burden of student debt have been thwarted. Last year, the Supreme Court struck down an earlier plan that aimed to benefit over 40 million Americans by forgiving nearly half-a-trillion dollars in loans. The latest decision leaves the future of student loan forgiveness hanging in the balance, with millions of borrowers anxiously awaiting a resolution.
