Millions of student loan borrowers who applied for student-debt relief under a program from the Biden Administration were wrongfully informed last month that their applications were approved, according to reports.
U.S. Department of Education contractor Accenture, which sent the letters out, told Fox Television Stations that applicants were erroneously emailed about the approvals on Nov. 22 and 23.
"Accenture Federal Services regrets the human error that led to an email being sent to a number for student loan debt relief applicants with an inaccurate subject line," an Accenture spokesperson told Fox Television Stations. "Working closely with the Department, Accenture Federal Services is reviewing quality control measures to support accurate and timely communications to applicants in the Student Loan Debt Relief Program."
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Those communications, Fox Station WTTG in Washington, D.C. reported, would be going out within the next few days.
President Biden’s student loan debt relief program hit a few roadblocks recently as courts have ruled that the program is unlawful.
Biden’s handout intends to forgive $10,000 in federal student loans per borrow and double that for PELL grant recipients, but it will remain on hold after the New Orleans-based 5th Circuit Court of Appeals rejected the Biden Administration’s request to lift a stay put on the program by a lower district court in Texas.
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Court documents filed on Nov. 30 show a three-judge panel unanimously chose not to override the decision by U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman on Nov. 10, which called the student loan handouts unlawful and temporarily suspend it.
The New Orleans court did choose, however, to expedite the case in its docket to the "next available" oral argument.
WTTG reported that Education Secretary Miguel Cardona has sent emails to applicants notifying them whether they are eligible for relief under the plan or not.
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But also in that letter, Cardona addresses the lawsuits filed against the program, which have blocked the ability to discharge the debt relief.
"We believe strongly that the lawsuits are meritless, and the Department of Justice has appealed on our behalf," Cardona said.