Oppose Wage Garnishment of Student Loan Borrowers in Default

I am writing to urge you to oppose the Trump administration's decision to begin garnishing wages of student loan borrowers in default starting in early January. The Department of Education plans to send notices to approximately 1,000 borrowers during the week of January 7, with more notices following at an increasing scale each month. This policy targets the most financially vulnerable borrowers at precisely the wrong time. Millions of borrowers are currently in default, defined as being 270 days past due on payments. These are individuals who have already demonstrated they cannot afford their current payment obligations. Seizing their wages will only deepen their financial crisis and make it harder for them to meet basic needs like housing, food, and healthcare. Persis Yu, deputy executive director for the Student Borrower Protection Center, called this decision "cruel, unnecessary, and irresponsible" at a time when families are struggling with stagnant wages and an affordability crisis. The administration ended the pandemic-era pause on student loan payments in May and immediately began collecting on defaulted debt through withholding tax refunds and other federal payments. Now wage garnishment represents an escalation that will push struggling families further into poverty. The fundamental problem is that the administration has failed to adequately help borrowers find affordable payment options before resorting to aggressive collection tactics. Yu noted that the government is using "its self-inflicted limited resources to seize borrowers' wages instead of defending borrowers' right to affordable payments." This approach punishes borrowers rather than providing pathways to successful repayment. I ask you to publicly oppose this wage garnishment policy and advocate for expanding access to income-driven repayment plans and other affordable payment options. Student loan borrowers who are already in default need support and reasonable repayment terms, not punitive measures that will worsen their financial situations and harm local economies when families have less money to spend.