Student loan payments to resume, migrant payment talks end

In the same week that the Biden administration signaled student loan payments would resume for 41 million Americans in February, negotiations also faltered for payments to migrants separated at the U.S.-Mexico border. The American Civil Liberties Union, which represents families in the litigation over the migrant policy, announced the development Thursday and said the group will return to court.

“It would be an understatement to say we are disappointed that the Biden administration allowed politics to get in the way of helping the little children deliberately abused by our government,” Lee Gelernt, deputy director of the ACLU Immigrants’ Rights Project, said in an email.

The Justice Department has maintained it’s committed to “bringing justice” to the families.

At issue is the Trump administration’s “zero tolerance” policy that systemically separated migrant parents from their children in an effort to deter border crossings. The Biden administration was reportedly considering settling the litigation by offering almost a half-million dollars per affected migrant, though President Joe Biden publicly cast doubt on that figure.

Republicans seized on the reported settlement negotiations as a giveaway to migrants who attempted to enter the U.S. unlawfully. GOP lawmakers have pushed several pieces of legislation that would block such payments.

The Department of Homeland Security is still working to reunite some families.

That announcement comes as President Biden signaled he plans to restart federal student loan payments in February, resisting pressure from some fellow Democrats who continue to call for an extension of coronavirus pandemic relief benefits.

“We’re still assessing the impact of the Omicron variant, but a smooth transition back into repayment is a high priority for the administration,” White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said when asked whether the Biden administration would consider extending the student loan payment pause.

Borrower balances have effectively been frozen for nearly two years, with no payments required on most federal student loans since March 2020. During this time, interest has stopped adding up and collections on defaulted debt have been on hold.

Most recently, Biden moved the payment restart date from September 30, 2021, to January 31, 2022, but his administration made clear at the time that this extension would be the final one.