Rebecca Carballo at Politico:
More than a month ago, the Education Department began public meetings to discuss the overhaul of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program that allows civil service and nonprofit workers to have their student loans canceled after they’ve made payments for 10 years. The department’s plans to change the program are based on an executive order, which calls for making employers who engage in “illegal activities” ineligible.
— The definitions of illegal are broad, and single out immigration, transgender and terrorism issues. The determination if an employer is engaging in illegal activity would be made by the Education secretary, not a court of law.
Why it matters: Advocates have expressed concerns that the rule would be used as a tool to punish organizations that do work the administration doesn’t agree with. While various professions would be affected, leaders in the legal community have concerns that it could dissuade lawyers from working in the public sector.