Statement: Advocates Oppose Trump’s Executive Order to Dismantle the Department of Education

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 20, 2025

Contact:

Natalia Abrams

Washington D.C. – The Student Debt Crisis Center (SDCC) strongly condemns President Trump’s executive order to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education—this is an unprecedented attack on the rights of millions of families, students, and more than 45 million Americans with student debt. Eliminating the Department will throw student loan borrowers into financial disarray, strip away critical borrower protections, and leave loan servicers free to operate without oversight or accountability. Additionally, the reduction of the Department’s workforce has led to severe delays and will further undermine essential services for borrowers, leaving millions stranded without the support they desperately need.

Natalia Abrams, SDCC President, stated,

“President Trump’s relentless attack on the Department of Education represents a blatant assault on millions of Americans struggling under the weight of student loan debt. This dangerous move puts the future of borrowers at risk by dismantling the very agency tasked with holding loan servicers accountable. Without the Department of Education, borrowers will be left without recourse, vulnerable to exploitation, and cut off from any meaningful path to relief. This heartless executive order prioritizes the interests of politics and corporations over the lives of hardworking Americans. We will not stand idly by while borrowers are pushed further into financial ruin and uncertainty.”

“The purpose of the Department of Education is to serve all students and borrowers—not special interests, billionaires, or politicians looking to dismantle vital offices and protections,” said Sabrina Calazans, Executive Director at SDCC. “The elimination of the Department will harm borrowers seeking relief via essential programs like Public Service Loan Forgiveness and income-driven repayment plans, leaving millions of families in further financial turmoil. Borrowers have already faced enough confusion and hardship. More chaos and less guidance is not the answer.”

The Department of Education is the backbone of the federal student loan system, ensuring that borrowers receive accurate information, have access to relief programs, and are protected from industry abuse. Over the past four years, the Department has helped facilitate historic debt cancellation efforts, secured loan forgiveness for millions of public service workers, and introduced repayment plans that lower monthly payments for struggling families. Stripping away this vital agency will not only halt progress but also leave borrowers vulnerable to financial instability with nowhere to turn for assistance.

We urge Congress to step up to commit to safeguarding the rights of millions of Americans who rely on federal student loan support. Borrowers deserve a government that works for them—not against them. We urge the public to contact their representatives and make their voices heard. The future of student debt relief, borrower protections, and accessible education is at stake, and we cannot afford to sit back while millions are thrown into financial chaos. This executive order will only further exacerbate the existing student debt crisis.

For more information or to schedule an interview, please contact Natalia Abrams at info@studentdebtcrisis.org.

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ABOUT Student Debt Crisis Center

Student Debt Crisis Center is a national advocacy organization with 2,000,000 supporters calling for fundamental reforms to student loan policies and an end to the student debt crisis. Learn more here.