Federal judge in Texas strikes down Biden' s student loan relief plan

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Federal judge in Texas strikes down Biden' s student loan relief plan

An activist holds a cancel student debt sign in front of the White House in Washington, DC, on Aug. 25, 2022. Photo: Stefani Reynolds / AFP via Getty Images A federal judge in Texas struck down the Biden administration's program Thursday. The latest: The Biden administration said in a Thursday night that it's appealing the ruling of the Trump-appointed U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman. "We strongly disagree with the District Court's ruling on our student debt relief program," said White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre in a statement confirming the appeal. Driving the news: Pittman the program illegal after the Job Creators Network Foundation filed a lawsuit last month alleging the administration violated federal procedures.The suit, filed on behalf of two borrowers, accuses the administration of denying borrowers an opportunity to provide public comment before launching the program. What we're watching: "For the 26 million borrowers who have already given the Department of Education the necessary information to be considered for debt relief — 16 million of whom have already been approved for relief — the Department will hold onto their information so it can quickly process their relief once we prevail in court," Jean-Pierre said. The big picture: The move comes after a federal appeals court the debt relief program in a suit brought by six Republican states — among a growing number of legal challenges against the plan.The Supreme Court has already turned down two requests to block the program — one from a and another from an . What they're saying: "The President and this Administration are determined to help working and middle-class Americans get back on their feet, while our opponents – backed by extreme Republican special interests — sued to block millions of Americans from getting much-needed relief," Jean-Pierre said. The other side: "The court has correctly ruled in favor of our motion and deemed the Biden student loan program illegal," said Elaine Parker, president of the foundation, in a statement. Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.

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