The Trump administration dropped its legal fight over a student loan forgiveness program that has been popular with a variety of public service employees.
The Department of Justice did not explain why it dropped two appeals Wednesday, months after a June ruling thwarted the White House’s attempt to limit who could make use of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.
The Trump administration had planned for the Education Department to exclude employers who supported diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives; helped illegal immigrants; and provided trangender surgeries for children and teens.
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“The Trump administration’s attempt to weaponize public service loan forgiveness against organizations it disagrees with was anti-democratic and unlawful from the start,” Dan Zibel, chief counsel at Student Defense, said in a statement. “This is a significant victory for millions of Americans who have dedicated their careers to public service.”
The program was designed to make jobs in fire and police departments, public schools and hospitals and nonprofits more enticing. It offered to forgive loans after an employee makes a decade’s worth of payments.
More than 1 million have had their loans forgiven through the PSLF.
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