Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022
Is a conservative Wisconsin law firm arguing that Biden’s student debt relief plan is unconstitutional in part because it aims to ‘narrow the racial wealth gap’?
The conservative law firm Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty filed a lawsuit against the Biden administration's student loan forgiveness plan on Oct. 4, claiming the plan would be unconstitutional.
WILL says the Biden administration had announced an "explicit racial motivation" as a justification for the plan — to "narrow the racial wealth gap" and help Black students. By doing that, WILL claims, the administration "violated the Constitution’s guarantee of equal protection of the law." Black student borrowers tend to owe more money that white student borrowers and are more likely to default on their loans.
WILL also alleges the plan violates the constitutional separation of powers because Congress never approved the program. "Defendants have unconstitutionally exercised the taxing and spending power of Congress," WILL claims.
The group is asking a judge to immediately block Biden's plan while the lawsuit is pending.
This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
- Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty Lawsuit filed by the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty
- NBC15 Wisconsin law firm sues to block student loan forgiveness
- Wisconsin Public Radio Conservative Wisconsin taxpayer group sues over Biden's student loan forgiveness plan
About fact briefs
Fact briefs are bite-sized, well-sourced explanations that offer clear "yes" or "no" answers to questions, confusions, and unsupported claims circulating online. They rely on publicly available data and documents, often from the original source. Fact briefs are written and published by Gigafact contributor publications.
See all fact briefs
Wisconsin Watch, the news arm of the nonpartisan, nonprofit Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism, increases the quality and quantity of investigative reporting in Wisconsin, while training current and future investigative journalists. Its work fosters an informed citizenry and strengthens democracy.
Learn MoreLatest Fact Briefs
Is Wisconsin one of only six states with same-day voter registration?
Monday, Feb. 17, 2025
Do recent studies link water fluoridation with less dental decay in children?
Friday, Feb. 14, 2025
Are airline flights the safest mode of transportation in the U.S.?
Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025