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A federal appeals court on Friday issued an administrative stay temporarily blocking President Joe Biden’s plan to terminate billions of dollars in federal student loans, tossing the program into limbo just days after people began applying for loan forgiveness, reports UNB.
The stay was issued by the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals while it considers a motion from six Republican-led states to block the program. The stay ordered the Biden administration not to act on the program while it considers the appeal.
It’s unclear what the decision means for the 22 million borrowers who already applied for the relief. The Biden administration had assured not to clear any debt before Oct. 23 as it fought the legal challenges, but the soonest it was expected to begin erasing debt was mid-November.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre encouraged borrowers to continue to apply for the relief, saying the court’s temporary order did not prevent applications or the review of applications.
“We will continue to move full speed ahead in our preparations in compliance with this order,” she said in a statement. “And, the Administration will continue to fight Republican officials suing to block our efforts to provide relief to working families.”
Bd-pratidin English/Ishrar Tabassum
