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Myrna Figueroa's NegReg Comments | Blog
The following is a transcript from the Department of Education's Negotiated Rulemaking session on January 18, 2022. During the public comment period, students are encouraged to share their comments on their experiences. Here is Myrna's story.
Statement On Navient Settlement Cancelling $1.85 Billion in Predatory Student Debt | Press Release
Today, Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey, joined by a coalition of 38 attorneys general, announced a settlement with private student loan lender Navient. Under the settlement, Navient will provide relief totaling $1.85 billion to resolve allegations of widespread unfair and deceptive student loan servicing practices and abuses in originating predatory student loans.
Navient Reaches a Deal to Cancel $1.7 Billion in Student Loan Debts | NPR
The loan servicing giant Navient has agreed to cancel $1.7 billion in student loan debts owed by roughly 66,000 borrowers, as part of a settlement announced Thursday with 39 state attorneys general. The settlement ends a years-long legal fight with states in which Navient faced two serious allegations.
Judge Critical of Biden Administration’s Progress on Student Debt Relief Claims | Washington Post
A federal judge is criticizing the Biden administration for not moving quickly enough to resolve claims from defrauded student loan borrowers who sued over Trump-era policies that denied them debt relief.
A $30 Billion Predatory Industry
For decades, the predatory for-profit college industry has exploited the promise of higher education. Instead of providing the quality programs promised, these companies invest almost no money into meaningful career training, leaving thousands of students behind. Meanwhile for-profit colleges are among the most heavily tax subsidized of any private sector, taking more than $30 billion in taxpayer money each year in the form of federal student aid. The Project’s landmark cases expose these broken systems, enforce students’ rights, and will ultimately prevent this predatory industry from cheating students and taxpayers.
Statement on Extension of Student Loan Payment Pause
President Biden today announced a 90 day extension of the pause on federal student loan repayment, which will now continue through May 1, 2022, rather than ending on February 1, 2022. The announcement cites ongoing concerns with the pandemic and economic recovery.
Year in Review: 2021 Brings Big Wins and New Battles for Defrauded Borrowers | Blog
2021 ushered in a new Presidential administration and promises of long-awaited justice for defrauded borrowers. We are thrilled to share our clients’ hard-fought victories of loan cancellation, yet the fight is not over for tens of thousands of clients still waiting.
Project files brief in support of challenge to repeal of gainful employment rule | Press Release
“By leaving the repeal of this rule in effect, the Department of Education is leaving the door open for scammers to continue misleading students and enrolling them in failing programs.”
Student Borrowers Harmed by Dept. of Education’s Unlawful Partial Relief Scheme Drop Lawsuit After Dept. Abandons Policy | Press Release
Student borrowers in the class action lawsuit Pratt v. Cardona (previously Pratt v. DeVos) today moved to voluntarily dismiss the lawsuit, after the U.S. Department of Education agreed in March 2021 to end the previous administration’s unlawful partial relief policy for adjudicating borrower defense applications.
Congress Urged To Stop Propping Up Fraudulent For-Profit Colleges With Federal Pell Grants | Press Release
As part of President Biden’s Build Back Better framework, Democrats in Congress have proposed restricting for-profit colleges from receiving federal funds in the form of Pell Grant awards, a student aid program for those with significant financial need. “Congress should no longer prop this fraudulent industry up with taxpayer funds…that are supposed to help the lowest income students.”