President Trump has signed an executive mandate that commands administration officials to change a program of forgiveness of student loans for civil servants to exclude non -profit organizations involved in activities that have what is called “essential illegal purpose”.
His order to limit the program seems to be targeting groups that support immigrants without documents, diversity initiatives or children’s care for children, among other things, as Trump’s administration has attempted to eliminate federal support for efforts that have taken the rage to the right.
The order, made public on Friday, is the last of the many efforts to revise the loan forgiveness program, which often plagues borrowers with rules and bureaucratic obstacles.
The program, known as forgiveness of a public service loan, was created by Congress in 2007 and cannot be eliminated without Congress, but the Department of Education has some room to determine how it operates. Mr Trump’s executive mandate called on the secretaries of education and the Ministry of Finance to amend the program to exclude workers for organizations that support illegal actions, recording various categories of examples, including “reinforcing or providing” violations of the Federal Law.
Trump’s administration has taken a wide view of what it considers to be supported by illegal activities. The order referred to as examples of organizations that support “illegal discrimination”, which the administration has previously said that it includes initiatives for diversity and integration.
The command appeared to target groups that support the care confirmed by the sex. He said that he would exclude from the loan forgiveness program of any organization that supports “child abuse, including chemical and surgical castration or children’s amputation”.
Mr Trump’s order also distinguishes organizations dealing with a “model” for the breakdown of state laws against “violations, irregularities, public discomfort, vandalism and the obstruction of motorways”, the language that could be used against groups. Another provision aims at those who support “terrorism”, a label that Trump’s officials used to describe protests against Israel.
Such changes must usually go through a formal rule -taking process, which often takes months or years to complete and includes a period for public comments. But Trump’s administration has often been acting as opposed to seemingly legal limits – which are likely to launch anxiety waves for those based on the complex program.
President George W. Bush has introduced the loan program, which aims to encourage people to work in the government and in qualifying non -profit organizations, facilitating their college debt. Following 120 monthly loan payments – which requires at least 10 years of job qualifiers – borrowers become eligible to eliminate the remaining federal debt of student loans.
The program became a notorious amputation, with bureaucratic triple and issues that led to a 99 % rejection rate for forgiveness. The administration of President Joseph R. Biden Jr. He used exemptions and exceptions to eliminate barriers, allowing more than one million people to use the program to eliminate debts totaling $ 79 billion.
It is estimated that two million people have made payments measured in their obligation to be eligible to relieve the program. These borrowers often count the months until they reach the required 120 payments.
The program is open to borrowers working in government jobs-at federal, state or local level-and those working in non-profit tax exemptions in accordance with the Articles of Association 501 (C) (3) of the Internal Income Service. Some other non -profit organizations are also eligible, but many are exempt, including labor unions and political organizations.
At various points in the history of the loan program, there was confusion about what was a “public service”. In 2019, three lawyers won favorable decisions as they were considered non -eligible.
Mr Trump’s order seems to seek to be aimed at defamed organizations in a way that resonates with a bill that passed the body last year that would allow the government to recall the regime free from taxes of non -profit groups accused of supporting terrorist terrorist. The Democrats were afraid that the bill could be used by Mr Trump to target his political enemies. The bill came to the Senate.
Ron Liber and Erica L. Green They contributed reports.
