Boston, Mass — A broad coalition of over a dozen cities, labor unions, and nonprofit organizations filed a lawsuit today against the U.S. Department of Education (ED). The suit charges the Trump-Vance Administration with illegally hijacking the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program to silence governments and non-profit organizations that do work the Administration doesn’t like. The Administration’s action breaks a decades-old bipartisan Congressional promise to support those who choose to dedicate their careers to public service.

Quotes from plaintiffs and co-counsel are available below.

PLAINTIFFS 

Municipalities

City of Albuquerque

“Our city employees have spent years serving the people of Albuquerque with the understanding that the federal government would honor its promise of loan forgiveness,” said Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller. “This new rule turns its back on that promise. We’re joining cities, unions, and nonprofits across the country to defend public service workers and the commitments that made their service possible.”

City of Boston

“The Trump Administration’s illegal actions threaten to make higher education even more expensive for Boston’s teachers, first responders, and civil servants,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “The City is joining with cities, unions, and nonprofits across the country to protect a program that helps Boston’s workforce and millions of Americans in public service careers pay for college.”

City of Chicago

“PSLF makes it possible for hard-working Chicagoans to serve the residents of our city without the struggle of lifelong student debt,” said Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson. “As a PSLF-eligible employer, the City of Chicago is proud to stand with our public servants – our teachers, first responders, health professionals and so many others – and with this coalition in the challenge against this unlawful rule.”

City and County of San Francisco

“Millions of people across our country are struggling under crushing student loan debt,” said San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu. “Congress made a bipartisan commitment to relieve debt for Americans who make a career of serving their communities. The Federal Administration cannot step into the role of Congress, break that commitment, and punish workers counting on this debt relief simply because the Administration disagrees with the entirely lawful policies of certain employers.”

County of Santa Clara

“This Federal Administration has been hell-bent on punishing dedicated public servants, from their massive unlawful reductions to the federal workforce to their latest attempt to dismantle public service loan forgiveness for thousands of nurses, teachers, first responders, and other government workers,” said Santa Clara County Counsel Tony LoPresti. “Public service loan forgiveness has played a critical role in recruiting and retaining some of the best and brightest to careers in government service, and this attempt at politicizing eligibility is deeply dangerous and patently illegal. The County of Santa Clara employs more than 24,000 dedicated public servants, and we will continue to defend their rights, and the rights of all government employees, in court.”

Nonprofit Organizations

Amica Center for Immigrant Rights

“I went to law school with the goal of one day representing the most vulnerable populations within the immigrant community, who typically have little to no ability to pay for legal services. As the daughter of a single mother and immigrant family, PSLF is the reason why this goal was a realistic option for me. As an attorney at a non-profit, I provide legal services to indigent clients, and PSLF makes it financially feasible for me to continue doing this work for the long term. Without PSLF, I would have to choose between doing this vital work and providing financial support for my family,” said Vanesa Martinez-Chacon, Staff Attorney at the Amica Center for Immigrant Rights. 

Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights

“CHIRLA is proud to join other non-profits, professional associations and cities and counties, in challenging this latest illegal attack on public service. The Public Service Loan Forgiveness program has been integral to our ability to grow over the years to better serve the immigrant community. It has allowed the recruitment and retainment of talented personnel who might otherwise feel compelled to seek work in other sectors in order to pay back their student loans. Make no mistake, we view this as a direct assault on our exercise of free speech to advocate for the basic rights and dignity of all in this country regardless of immigration status,” said Angelica Salas, Executive Director, Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights.

Legal Aid DC

“Legal Aid lawyers and professionals sacrifice the possibility of higher salaries to help clients who would otherwise have to navigate the legal system alone. PSLF is part of what makes that sacrifice possible for so many, and undermining the program will make our court systems more unequal and unfair,” said Vikram Swaruup, Executive Director, Legal Aid DC.

National Association of Social Workers

“Social workers take on significant student debt to serve children and families, older adults, immigrants and refugees, and LGBTQ+ individuals, including transgender people. The proposed changes to Public Service Loan Forgiveness would punish those who dedicate their careers to strengthening communities and supporting our most vulnerable neighbors. NASW is joining this litigation because social workers should never be penalized for choosing to serve some of the most vulnerable people in our society. We are committed to defending the profession and ensuring that social workers can continue to pursue this vital work without facing insurmountable financial barriers,” said NASW CEO Anthony Estreet, PhD, MBA, LCSW-C.

National Council of Nonprofits

“The administration’s new regulation unlawfully politicizes and undermines a successful, bipartisan program, harming nonprofits and the millions of people who rely on them every day. PSLF has a proven track record of helping local nonprofits recruit and retain the workforce they need to provide essential services to the American people. Contrary to law, the regulation allows current and future administrations to change PSLF eligibility according to their priorities or ideology, inviting government overreach and abuse and creating instability that will undermine the program’s success. This must not stand,” said Diane Yentel, President and CEO, National Council of Nonprofits.

Oasis Legal Services

“LGBTQ+ asylum seekers have endured persecution simply for living authentically. They depend on compassionate advocates who understand their experiences and fight for their safety under U.S. law. The Department of Education’s attack on Public Service Loan Forgiveness endangers the very people who make this work possible: our attorneys and advocates who stand with LGBTQ+ immigrants every day. Oasis Legal Services will fight relentlessly to protect our staff and the communities we serve from unlawful, discriminatory policies,” said Adam Ryan Chang, Executive Director, Oasis Legal Services.

Unions

American Federation of Teachers

“Public Service Loan Forgiveness was created by a Republican president and Democratic senators to help attract and retain teachers, nurses, firefighters and so many others who’ve dedicated their careers to helping others,” said AFT President Randi Weingarten. “Trump wants to change that by imposing an ideological litmus test on millions of public servants and their employers that’s antithetical to American values and contrary to the statute at hand. It’s an illegal attack on those who placed their faith in PSLF’s bipartisan promise, only to see it cruelly ripped away. It will chill protected speech, drain talent from desperately needed jobs helping vulnerable communities, and saddle remaining workers with an insurmountable debt load. For years, the AFT has fought to ensure the promise of PSLF was a promise kept. We sued Betsy DeVos and rogue loan servicers for their failure to administer the program—and we won. And, last month, we forced the administration to resume income-driven repayment plans. This latest assault on borrowers’ livelihoods is part of a plot to once again undermine college affordability and it’s why we’re heading back to court.”

American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees 

“The Public Service Loan Forgiveness program allows nurses, first responders, corrections officers, school staff and more to support their families while serving their communities,” said AFSCME President Lee Saunders. “Gutting this program will worsen the public service staffing crisis while weakening the essential services communities rely on. We’re filing this lawsuit to protect the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program so working people can continue to afford to serve their communities in the jobs they love.”

National Education Association 

“Educators and millions of public servants dedicate their lives to serving our communities and improving lives every day,” said NEA President Becky Pringle. “Congress created – in a bipartisan fashion – the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program to honor that service, not for the Trump administration to hijack for political gain. The new rule imposes harsh and illegal restrictions, makes repayment less affordable, and silences the voices of educators and other beneficiaries of the programs. We refuse to stand by while politicians trap dedicated educators in generations of debt.”

CO-COUNSEL*

Democracy Forward 

“This administration has, yet again, unlawfully targeted people who work in the public interest. And so we again are in court,” said Skye Perryman, President and CEO of Democracy Forward. “Politically motivated retaliation, like what the administration has done here, should have no place in America. We are honored to represent this powerful coalition in defense of the people’s rights.”

Protect Borrowers 

“ED’s PSLF rule is an illegal attempt to weaponize the federal government against its own people,” said Persis Yu, Deputy Executive Director and Managing Counsel at Protect Borrowers. “The Trump-Vance Administration is telling a generation of dedicated public servants that their work only counts if it aligns with a MAGA political agenda. This betrays the nonpartisan promise of PSLF and the core principles of our nation. They are silencing dissent and trying to dismantle the very institutions that hold power accountable. We will not let this stand.”

*The County of Santa Clara and City and County of San Francisco represent themselves.