The Department of Education has begun alerting student loan forgiveness applicants that they have been approved for relief under the Biden administration's plan.
The big picture: The update comes after the Biden administration last week urged the Supreme Court to lift a lower court ruling that blocked the student loan relief program.
Driving the news: The emails being sent by the Department of Education to applicants of the relief program read: "We reviewed your application and determined that you are eligible for loan relief under the Plan."
- "We have sent this approval on to your loan servicer. You do not need to take any further action," per the email reviewed by Axios.
- "Unfortunately, a number of lawsuits have been filed challenging the program, which have blocked our ability to discharge your debt at present."
- "We believe strongly that the lawsuits are meritless, and the Department of Justice has appealed on our behalf."
- "Your application is complete and approved, and we will discharge your approved debt if and when we prevail in court."
State of play: The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit earlier this month issued a nationwide emergency motion temporarily blocking the relief program.
What they're saying: "Beginning today, applicants and others seeking relief through the Biden-Harris Administration's Student Debt Relief Plan will begin receiving updates," Education Secretary Miguel Cardona wrote on Twitter.
- "Don’t worry if you don’t get an email today - more are coming," he said.
Between the lines: The Biden administration has not said what relief it would provide to borrowers if the courts rule against the student loan program, Insider notes.
Go deeper... Student loan relief faces another hurdle as appeals court blocks program
Editor's note: This story has been clarified to reflect that some student loan forgiveness applicants, not student loan applicants, were approved for relief.
