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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 30, 2023
CONTACT:
Mynellies Negrón | +1 703 585 6727 | mynellies@communicationsshop.us
Chicago, IL – Today, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected the Biden administration’s plan to forgive a portion of student loans for certain borrowers that would bring economic relief to millions of people across the country. The plan was conceived as a way to partially address the high cost of higher education. The Supreme Court undermines the ability of the Executive Branch to implement policies intended to address such barriers, and represents another blow to the future of many, particularly women and racial minorities, who are already underserved by our profit-driven educational system and graduate to lower salaries due to the gender and racial pay gap. In light of this decision, Alianza Americas, a network of 57 organizations led by migrants from Latin America and the Caribbean, issues the following statement:
“The Supreme Court’s decision impacts heavily on the lives of young professionals like myself. This debt relief would have had a significant impact on my life, including planning for graduate education. Debt relief is fundamental for professionals like myself who have opted for a professional future in the not-profit sector. I have great expectations on the solutions that the Biden Administration offers to grant the debt relief that we need and deserve,” said Melanie Minuche, Climate Justice Organizer in Alianza Americas.
Higher education is a path to professional growth and financial stability that was long denied to a majority of the US population, whether because of their gender, race, or financial means. Student loan programs were implemented in response to the latter, and rather than addressing the fundamental inequities represented by educational opportunities and policies, they were merely a means of “kicking the can down the road” by offsetting current costs into the future, without addressing the structural barriers hindering access.
“The cost of higher education is a substantial barrier that many first generation college students like myself are only able to overcome through the use of student loans. The debt relief would have empowered me to make important decisions in my personal life that now I am unable to make. I have my education, but the burden of paying back those student loans will take a significant toll on my life,” said Jonathan Castro, Data and Support Resources Manager in Alianza Americas.
Furthermore, research shows that student loan debt cancellation is good for the economy because it increases purchasing power, helps address the racial and gender wage gaps, and allows borrowers to invest in homeownership and retirement savings. The decision from the Supreme Court adds injury to the insult of yesterday’s attack on Affirmative Action. Alianza Americas calls on the Biden administration and Congressional leaders to use the tools at their disposal to deliver relief to the millions of student loan borrowers and create a true plan to ensure an equitable access to quality education to all people.
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Alianza Americas is the premier transnational advocacy network of Latin American migrant-led organizations working in the United States, across the Americas, and globally to create an inclusive, equitable and sustainable way of life for communities across North, Central and South America.
